Recently I discovered that some of my instructions in class was not being clearly understood, especially this one, ‘now just experience the body’.

What I mean is most of us are conditioned to view the body, or relate to body as this ‘shape’, of certain age, to be made shapelier or muscular, to be trained to do handstand or backdrop, etc. Personally, I have seen many people very critically viewing their body when they see it in the mirror, or photo. ‘Am I looking slim? Have I put on weight? Am I still looking young? Why cant I do foot behind head? My body is so stiff’ etc

All these do not reflect a friendly, open relationship with the body. This way, we are not relating to body as this unbelievable mass of intelligence, this wonderful gift of nature, on a ’as it is’ basis, but simply selfing ourselves with it, taking it for granted, and in many cases not respecting it, and either abusing it through carefree eating, drinking, smoking etc, or in the desire to look trim, trying to torture it, starve it etc. An appreciative awareness of body is very seldom seen, but which is hoped to flower in yoga practice.

Anyway, when I say in class ‘experience the body’, what I mean is not about sensor-ily sensing the parts of the body, such as sit bones, arms etc. It is also not about thinking of the body nor visualizing the body. Also, don’t try to experience it with your preconditioned knowledge. Existing knowledge is a thing acquired in the past. Don’t let it project into this moment, or into future. Let it stay in the past.

It is more about simply opening to your intention of experiencing the body, and see what slowly comes up as an experience, and being prepared to be content, even if nothing comes up. You have to drop whatever commentary which might simultaneously occur, even as you are trying to experience the body. Just simply be. It is more of a direct experience of body by your awareness.

Direct experience, instead of non sensory experiencing, this term might be again a bit confusing. Don’t bother much about it. Just be open. But know that, your perceptions in your mind too are not sensory. But many times, you might have heard yourselves saying, or connecting to thoughts in a very sensed way, such as ‘I feel weighed down by my thoughts’, or, ‘he/ she was warm to me’ etc. These are sensory terms, but in fact non sensory experiences, experienced directly in your mind.

Similarly, along these lines, an experience might occur. 

Be fully in the present.

A sense of covering, a sense of presence will eventually occur, which might be felt along the qualities of hardness or softness, warmth or coolness, tingling or throbbing , lightness or spaciousness, brightness etc. Let your awareness become as intimate with the experience as you can.

Exhale, and relax. Let all ideas, pre conditioned knowledge, everything drop.

Open. Listen. The elements of the body, earth, water, fire, air, space… experience.. energy.. intelligence..