Purpose.
“I feel that I’m living in my purpose. But the thing about purpose is that it unfolds to you more and more everyday. You could be living in what was revealed to you at a particular time, and then you might get stagnated because there’s more that you’re supposed to do. It doesn’t just stop as you do one thing. I think it’s about being open to what you’re supposed to do at this moment and not getting stuck in the past. Purpose is not related to job or career. It’s related to what God put inside you that you’re supposed to give to the world.”
- Chadwick Boseman
For months I’ve gone back and forth about how to start this blog. I thought long and hard about which leader in Black History I would feature, and how I could tell their story in a way that inspires my journey and hopefully yours. When I think about it now, all that time I spent thinking and planning, I was really just stalling, because I knew that this step was completely new for me. My purpose was changing, evolving, and that scared me. My Black History & Yoga Series has grown into this blog. As scared as I was to start it, Chadwick Boseman’s words about living in your purpose inspired me to share my dream with you. And my hope is that you find some inspiration in his words as well.
When we’re talking about our purpose we’re talking about what drives us, what motivates us, our passion, and what we are called to do. Some of us already know what that is, and we should be glad if we already know our purpose, because figuring that out is a battle itself. But, even if we know what our purpose is we may still struggle with fear, doubt, or we hit a setback, and now with one battle over, we still have to figure out how to get past this new obstacle, so that we can move forward in our purpose. I always tell myself that any struggle or setback that I face, any fear, doubt, or even pain that I experience, is only preparing me for something greater. All I have to do is take another step towards my dream, and then another, and another. If we keep going, if we maintain that sustained effort we will get there. And we realize that our purpose is not just reaching the goal or making it to the end, you live in your purpose every step of the way.
Another hard part about living in your purpose, is not knowing what your purpose is, not knowing what we want to do, or which way we want to go. The important thing then is to put ourselves out there, to explore and try new things, until we find what speaks to us. And when we find it, we run with it. And that too is living in your purpose.
Yoga can help us no matter where we are in our journey. When we are just starting our practice every asana (pose) is new, many actions that supports us in that shape might also be new. It’s hard to access and engage certain muscles that we may not have been aware of before. It’s hard to move our bodies into new and different positions, that we’ve never been in before. If we stick with it we develop a greater awareness of ourselves, that allows us to maintain the action, direction, effort, and a sense of wholeness over a period of time.
“The asana is an inquiry: Who am I? Throwing out the parts until only the self is left. The final pose is, I am.”
- B.K.S. Iyengar
How Yoga Can Help
This sequence energizes the body, strengthens the arms and legs, opens the shoulders and upper back to fully expand the chest. Winding down with supported/ restorative poses relaxes the body, and calms the senses to quiet the mind, teaching us to be strong and confident no matter what life throws at us.
Notes on Practice:
Poses 1- 3
Stretch the arms and legs to extend the sides of the body.
Adho Muka Virasana (Child’s Pose) Separate the the knees as wide as the sticky mat, bring the big toes together as you sit back on your heels, stretch the arms forward to extend the side body.
Adho Muka Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose) From child’s pose lift up onto your hands and knees, separate your feet as wide as the mat, and lift your legs up. Fully stretch the arms and legs to lengthen the sides.
Uttanasana (Instense Stretch Pose/ Standing Forward Bend) From Downward Dog walk forward to the front of your mat, separate your legs as wide as the mat, stretch the legs as you extend the sides forward.
Poses 4-10
Energizing jumps to build heat.
Jumping back (poses 4-6) From uttanasana bend your knees, place your hands flat on the mat, raise your hips up high to jump back to downward dog. Can take mini jumps back to downward dog if needed.
Jumping forward (Poses 7-10) From Downward dog bend your knees, look forward between your hands, raise your hips up high and jump forward to uttanasana.
Poses 11 & 12
Strengthen the arms, firms the upper back, and activates the legs.
11. Kicking up (Pose 11)Place your hands on the floor a hands distance away from the wall. Step one foot forward, raise the other leg up, push off the bottom foot to kick up to the wall.
12. Adho Muka Vrksasana (Full Arm Balance) Kick up into full arm balance, or walk your feet up the wall.
Poses 13- 15
Strengthens the arms and legs, engages the upper back to open the chest.
13. Chaturanga Dandasana (Four Limb Staff Pose) Lay down on your abdomen, separate your feet hips distance and tuck your toes under. Place your hands by ribs so that your elbows are over your wrist. Roll your shoulders back, press your hands and your feet to lift off the mat.
14. Urdhva Muka Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog Pose) Lay down on your mat, and separate your feet hips distance. Press your hands and your feet to lift yourself up so that your thighs are no longer on the floor. Roll the shoulders back to open your chest.
15. Adho Muka Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose) Separate your feet hips distance, separate your hands as wide as your shoulders. Press your hands and feet to straighten your arms and legs.
Poses 16- 18
Supported poses help to rest the body and quiet the the mind.
16. Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall Pose) Place a bolster/ pillows, folded blankets, or stack of books near a wall for support. Sit sideways against the wall. Swing your legs up the wall, so that your hips are on the support. Tuck the shoulders under, and rest here for 5 minutes.
17. Viparita Karani (second position with crossed legs) From the first position cross your legs at the center shins. Change the cross of the legs. Rest here for 3-5 minutes.
18. Sukhasana Sit on your support, with your legs crossed at the center shins so that your back rests against the wall. Stay here for 3-5 minutes.
