Following a vision in the asana practice

From Yoga

Working with a vision is a continuous process.

Let's say that I can visualize how trikonasana (triangle pose) looks and then based on that vision I start practicing it.

While I am practicing trikonasana the first thing that will come to my mind is that I can suddenly feel a lot in my body.

Now I have to go back to the drawing board. Since the geometric shape of the pose is not everything I have to visualize more.

I have to visualize how I feel in the pose as well as how the pose will look.

After trying this I can see that there is a relationship between how the body looks and how it feels.

Here we have a tremendous space for experimentation. I can ask two questions. How does the physical shape of the pose affect how one feels in the pose? How does a particular feeling in the body affect the physical shape of the pose?

Of course they both can change the meaning of the pose.

Finally I can also start differentiating between my emotional feelings as well as physical body's sensations and notice how they relate to each other. Creating a vision and direction for my emotional state is a crucial part of envisioning a yoga pose. Ignoring my emotional state could only be compared to continuous swimming against the current, eventually it would result in giving up. A fully aware yoga practice is like riding the wave. Effortless and blissfull.

With all of the above a more complete vision of the pose becomes possible. A vision that nourishes all of the aspects of our existence.

Ultimately we realize that our internal feelings and our sense of esthetics in how something looks move in parallel and are equally important.