I went to yoga hour (late class) tonight because I had a work-related event earlier in the evening. I like yoga hour because it's 30 minutes shorter than regular class, which means the pace is a lot quicker to get as much of a workout as the regular class.

Tonight's word of the day was "contentment" (or rather, the Sanskrit word for "contentment"). It was about finding the peace and comfort wherever you are, without reaching or yearning for more. That doesn't mean you stop yearning and striving, it just means you also find harmony with your current position along the way.

I did some pretty deep backbends tonight too, which definitely put me in a content mood. Backbends stimulate those areas of the brain and the glands that secrete the hormones that give you a peaceful and euphoric feeling. It's a good skill to have, really.

The pose of the night was from the expanding syllabus, what from my frame of reference was a modified Vasisthasana (Side Plank Pose), where the top leg gets bent backwards and is held and isometrically pushes into the top hand as the top hand pushes it down into the hip. From my vantage point, I was one of the few people in class who got into the pose and held it. I say that not for competition or to toot my own horn, but as a frame of reference for just how difficult a pose it is and how proud I am of my progress that has given me the strength and balance to maintain it.

As I was lightly meditating during Svasana (Corpse Pose, the final resting pose of any Anusara practice session), I was able to reflect and realize that I am, in fact, quite content with my life right now. I'm certainly not complacent, but things are going well and I'm in a place where things seem on track and moving in a healthy and positive direction.

It's a remarkably good place to be.

Labels: contentment, personal, yoga