This on-going discussion examines our experiences in asana and life through the lens of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Through reading, experimentation and the sharing of our experiences, we work to deepen our awareness and appreciation of life and increase the effectiveness of our actions. If you are new to this discussion, please begin by reading our Introduction to Yoga Philosophy.

more balance

Not to fall. Not to lose autonomy, pushed by gravity, out of control. This is the most basic role of balance, and we have complicated physiological systems to tell us when we’re leaning and vulnerable to the pressures of gravity. As yoga students, we up the ante and make balancing ever more difficult by assuming more precarious poses. Why do we flirt with falling? What role does refined balance play?

When we balance, we are exploring, and equalizing, the relationship between parts. We may be balancing something visible and external, like our body, but as we do so, we must be attentive to the invisible fulcrum. Balancing helps us do more than just discover our center. Balancing creates the center. The more precarious the balance, the more we must refine our center.
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