Your Body is a Reflection

Most people are not aware that when we look at them we actually can see their thoughts. It is reflected in the body, mind and spirit. The word reflection can be defined as the production of an image by or as if by a mirror; to show.

Are you attracted to people who seem to radiate energy and appear vibrate? Are you repelled or don't seem to notice people whose energy is low? Looking at their body language, even unconsciously on our part, we can see the reflection of their thoughts and habits.

The other day I had a person in my chair yoga class that looked dull. Her muscles were flaccid and her energy was low. At the end of the class she stated that she did not realize certain things about her body until completing the class. Frequently I have observed that people ignore their posture, their breath, their feet, whether they are focused or not, etc.

There are students who have the appearance of a frown all the time. Some of them don't notice it until it is pointed out to them. I had a young lady in my class recently who appeared angry. We talked after class and she did say she was under some stress. She also commented that other people have told her the same thing about looking angry. I told her to lighten up, smile more often and to practice the asanas. When I saw her the following week, she appeared lighter and was smiling more and frowning less.

This is why practicing yoga postures are valuable. It helps one to wake up to their body. They start to become more aware. Then the awareness, the practice starts to be reflected in the body. You can verbally say you are practicing, however if you are not it will be reflected in your body's appearance. The body does not lie.

It's all about Energy!

I'm sure you have either stated at sometime or other that you don't have any energy. Or that your energy is low. Then at the same time on the other end of the spectrum you might have said that you are full of energy, or that you are bursting with energy. As a human being we have to have the energy to function in our life. If we didn't have that energy we could not walk, eat, take care of our bodies, much less go to school or work. In other words we could not live.

If you look up the word energy as a noun it is defined as: 1. capacity of intense activity; vigour. 2. intensity or vitality of action or expression; forcefulness. These definitions will in suffice for now. Check out the short video clip (3:19)on Energy that is, is energy which says we are energy like everything else is.

So what does energy have to do with yoga? According to B.K.S. Iyengar in Yoga the Path to Holistic Health 'Yoga generates energy and does not dissipate it.' He also says that 'When practicing yoga...' ; 'after such stimulating exercise, a sense of rejuvenation and a fresh surge of energy follow.' Prana is a Sanskrit word for breath, the vital life force, energy. In the Traditional Chinese culture Qi (pronounced ' chee') is commonly translated as " energy flow".

Whether one refers to energy as prana or qi, we want to keep our energy up and free flowing. When our energy is low it can affect our immune system. Low energy is also found in disease scenarios and depression. It is up to us to practice the asanas (physical postures), in addition to using the many tools we have within us, to prevent and or remove the obstructions which impede the flow of energy. By using these tools we can keep our being in optimum condition and health . We can accomplish more in our lives and be happy too.

Remember, it is all about the energy!