
Greetings, fellow Earthlings! I'm back again, as usual, with my musings. Lately, during this holiday season, I have been reflecting on what it means to meet my resistance. Over many years as a yoga practitioner, I have often heard this idea come up in class. It may seem like a phrase yoga instructors may repeat, but what does it actually mean? Let's take a moment to break it down!
Resistance is anything that makes us feel uncomfortable. It can include obstacles, tribulations, trauma, and any area of our lives where we may lack awareness. Resistance may be held within our physical bodies, minds, and energetic bodies. So why would we want to meet our resistance? Wouldn't it be easier to shove it down, avoid it, and act like it doesn't exist? The more we avoid our obstacles and view our lives thru rose-colored glasses, the more tension we hold.
Meeting your resistance may be considered a form of shadow work. Shadow work gives us the space and opportunity to explore our darkness and the things we may be ashamed of about our lives. During your yoga practice, you may find that your body feels physically challenged and opposed to opening up. This may differ for everyone, as we all hold tension differently within our bodies. Within my yoga practice, I often feel the most resistance within my hips. Pigeon and lizard poses can be initially challenging to even try, but the more I sit with my discomfort, the more it leaves my body over time. Here are 5 Ways to Meet Your Resistance:
1. Take Your Time - You may feel obstacles arise during your movement practice or while sitting in stillness. Give yourself the space to move at your pace.
2. Come Back to Your Breath - Your breath supports you in stillness and movement. If you find yourself in a posture feeling significantly challenged, you can find a nose-to-nose breath to keep your posture.
3. Notice Where You are Holding Tension in Your Body - During your practice, you may feel tenser in specific postures than others. Notice where you feel uncomfortable in your body, and think of sending your breath into that region.
4. Become Aware of the Quality of Your Thoughts - Observe your mind, and notice when your train of thought becomes negative as you sit with your resistance. Practice allowing your negative thoughts to pass without being too critical of them. Allow them to come and go as they please.
5. Allow Your Resistance to Transform - Now that you have sat with your resistance, it is time to release it. With a combination of breath and time, your resistance and discomfort may transform into better feelings.

Give this a try and let me know how it goes! Subscribe for more!
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