No Pain No Gain

I am happy to announce that I will be posting on my blog again as I was recently inspired to start writing again.  I first started this blog while in Mysore studying Ashtanga Yoga in 2011.  As I find myself in Mysore again, it is only natural that I start posting again.
 
I came to Mysore intending to focus on my meditation practice as I recently completed my third Vipassana Mediation Retreat. As I wanted to establish a more solid home practice, I committed to meditating two hours daily as my teacher Goenka states.  Even though I am not able to sit for the full hour and usually get up about 45 minutes into my sit, I am blessed to have only love and compassion for myself and do not get upset. 
 
As I been delving deeper into my meditation practice, I started to wonder if my asana (yoga postures) practice still had a place in my life because I feel as I am getting older my meditation practice is and will be a greater importance to me as I am able to connect to my true self on a deeper level.

Recently my asana practice has been becoming more intense.  I am expressing various asans in ways that I never dreamed that were possible. I have been finding myself resistant in going deeper into these postures as I have been experiencing pain.  At times I feel discouraged and even wonder if practicing is even worth the pain.

Well today after practice, I was blessed as I experienced a feeling of openness, gratitude and bliss.  I also realized that the pain that I am experiencing is not only physical, but it is also mental pain.  As my body begins to open up more, I feel that I am able to open up more to life and its subtleties.  Like everything, pain is ever changing and impermanent.  I know I am just experiencing growing pains, the pain will not last forever and that this will only leads to growth.  Being in Mysore has thus been an extremely rewarding process so far.

 

Om shanti