I can remember, a
few months ago feeling very, very frustrated… I wanted certain situations to be
different to what they were. I was frustrated with (what I perceived) as life’s
slow march of progress towards how I thought things ought to be. I don’t think
my feelings were unfounded. Not at all. Nevertheless they were causing me to
feel greatly frustrated. The frustration was eating me up, it was all consuming
and I was not a peaceful person. It took a few days for the ‘cure’ to surface
in me, that cure was Grace. Grace was the healing balm to be applied to the
nasty bite of frustration.
Please don’t confuse Grace with Gratitude,
this is the mistake I made. I was being told by someone, ‘the problem is
you are not being grateful for what you have’, this made me even more cranky
and frustrated as I knew I WAS grateful and I am always so. What I was not
being was Graceful, full of Grace. When I got hold of this idea and the energy
of Grace, it flowed to and through me, my frustration eased bit by bit. It is difficult to be Graceful, full of Grace.
There is no instant grace switch, though we can lure it so that it builds up
and becomes all encompassing. Where there is grace, frustration cannot exist.
These are three
yoga asana I perform on a very regular basis that help me to allow the energy
of Grace to flow through me freely. Sometimes, I do these asana several times a
day… even if I am in a cue at the post office! You will need to do these asana
regularly for the energy of grace to flow because these asana will relax you
mind and body. Start with daily. It doesn’t need to take you more than a few
minutes. They are very effective at triggering the relaxation
response (that alleviates the stress response) and in turn, grace in being.
Pranamasana (Prayer Pose)
This pose is the
most wonderful pose for inviting Grace into your mind-body. Close your eyes and
hold your palms together in prayer position at the heart. Relax, and feel love.
Do this pose as often as you can and keep feeling love as you do so.
Hasta Utthanasana (Raised Arms Pose)
I love this pose
and do it as part of my Surya Namaskar
(salute to the sun series) each day. You don’t need to do this pose as part of
Salute to the Sun, you can do it as a stand-alone pose. Science now shows that
to look up, to reach up, to lean back like this actually reduces feelings of
being overwhelmed. This pose opens your heart and brings a sense of deep
relaxation and release to your mind-body system.
Padahastana (hand to foot pose)
This pose is a counter pose to the raised arms pose above, do one after
the other as a flowing movement. Take your time. The raised arm pose brings the
energy in and the hand to foot pose releases it. This action reduces stress in
the mind – body system and as a result paves the way for Grace to flow. Do not be confused with being ungrateful with being ungraceful!
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