Of course we all have ideas about how we should be showing up to life and to ourselves. Many of these are born from our own experience with life and what we come to know as the norm. Certain norms are collectively shared while others are more personal and individually created, although, they do change as does our ability to always meet these norms or recognize their power and overall influence. Through the physical practice of yoga, the exploration of various postures on the mat, our body provides us with a vehicle to feel and explore some of these norms. These are imprinted, creating new pathways internally, that can be expressed externally in our physical bodies. Ultimately, the more we utilize the new pathways, change is created. This change then lends itself to the creation of a new personal norm, not just physically expressed but mentally and emotionally felt. At first this change may recieve ample attention and recognition, but usually this fades and the change becomes something mundane and consistently expected, the recognition and potential appreciation seems to escape.
So much of what we do become unrecognized norms, often it is not until we are injured that we can reconnect to a sense of appreciation for our bodies abilities. Dissapointment, pain, anger, confusion or weakness may also be part of the experience of injury, appreciation may take time to develop. Not too long ago I injured my back, I can not say the exact thing that caused the injury, I believe it to be a combination of factors. I furthered the injury by reinforcing my personal norms; regular and intense practice, without recognizing that my body was saying no, my norms of how far to go or how much to do were mental necessities that my body willingly completed at the cost of an injury. Once I accepted that I was injured I realized I had to back off, no more riding the bike, no more long and sweaty runs and also no more vigorous yoga. In order to better understand my injury, what made it better, what made it worse, I had to refrain from my usual routine and really begin to observe, one breath at a time supporting one slow footstep at a time. Through this process of accepting the injury and then exploring it I have learned how to move and be active in away that does not cause me pain but rather understands the health of my body. Most importantly I was able to see with clarity that my need to maintian my personal norms created and intensified my injury. Because I just came to expect certain things of myself, of my body, I didn't even think that maybe I was reinforcing a norm that no longer worked for me.
I think we are all affected by our own personal norms as well as those we adhere to collectively to form a more just society, but every now and again it is important to stop, and to question. Maybe taking a few days in observation, judgement aside, and then returning with new information. Have I been giving adequeate recognition to myself for all of the personal norms I have achieved? Is it time that maybe a certain norm needs alteration because it is no longer supporting my health mentally, physically and emotionally? Are these collective norms that we live by based in truth and does my participation aid in making this a more just place to live?
It can be hard to change some of our personal norms without falling into a place of self judgement. I remember when I was first experiencing the pain of my injury I had so much fear about being weak and losing my strength. Physical strengh comes and goes, so this was an opportunity to stregthen my mind and my capacity to re deifine certain words that are way more expansive and inclusive than I was allowing for myself. Really it is an amazing opportunity to live more freely by changing our own definitions of what is good or bad, desireable or not...
Thanks for taking the time to observe and question.
peace
Recognition: What norms have you created for yourself that you fail to recognize because they have become so much a part or your daily routine or experience?
