by Marcel Allbritton
Yoga helps you listen to your body. When we listen to our body, we take better care of ourselves.
It’s as simple as this. When we move the body with the breath, only moving as far as is comfortable, we start to become more connected to our bodies and less connected to our thoughts. We begin to listen to what our body is saying. Listening to your body lets you know where you are at that moment and what you need.
To listen, you have to stop talking (thinking). When we place our attention on the breath and its alignment with the movement of the body, we slowly start to become more focused on our body and less on our thoughts.
Try this. Sit in a chair with your arms by your side. Inhale and lift the arms up from the front matching the movement to the breath and pausing for a second after inhale and after exhale. Do this for six times.
Next, inhale and lift the arms from the side – again matching the movement to the breath and pausing for a second after inhale and after exhale. Do this six times.
Now close your eyes and reflect for a minute on how your body feels. You are listening to your body.
First you learn to listen TO your body then you learn to listen WITH your body!