Surrender to your practice

When practicing the traditional Ashtanga Primary Series, there is an opening invocation that is chanted. It is an opening prayer that gives gratitude to the teachers that have come before us, and who share their practice with us.

The translation of first line of the Ashtanga opening invocation is to "surrender to our practice". The word surrender, however, can be interpreted in two very different ways. Taken in the western context, surrender is a term of weakness and giving up. In the context of yoga philosophy, surrender is a quality that comes from fearlessness, trust and confidence – a quality of strength. In surrendering to our yoga practice, we offer ourselves to the practice itself, trusting that it will lead us in a beneficial direction. But if we also take this idea OFF of our mat and into our daily lives, we can learn to surrender to the thoughts and actions that don't serve us, we can let go of the "control" and let life simply happen.......

I teach a class at Lotus Yoga and Fitness in Ormond Beach, Florida on Saturday mornings called "Parampara Ashtanga Inspired Vinyasa flow". In this class I practice with my students. There is little instruction and I do not give any hands on adjustments like I do in my other classes. This type of practice encourages the student to get more in tune with their body, their breath, and their practice. I act as a guide, but the student is the real teacher in this practice. 

I hope you will join me on Saturday mornings for this class, where you will learn to surrender to your practice without attachment or judgement. 

Namaste,

Debbie