New Eyes

I’ve offered my students the intention of looking at things with a fresh perspective, like looking through a pair of new eyes. In yoga, it’s easy to become caught up in your usual ways of thinking. “Nope, that posture definitely won’t work for me,” or “this side is always bad at opening up” become automative responses we play out in our head. But what if we looked at things with a brand new perspective. Instead of applying automatic doubt, I encourage you to try a challenging posture from a different angle, or appreciating your stronger side rather than being upset its not as flexible.

I’ve been prating this intention in my daily life off of my mat. Rather than assuming I know how something will go at work, or that waiting in line at Trader Joe’s on a Sunday just sucks (if you live in Nob Hill you know what I’m talking about), I can take a new perspective. Challenging moments can become a chance to test my patience and increase my mental stamina. Waiting in line can be a time to practice deep breathing, people watching, or really looking at all the insane chip options. Try it out and look at things with a new pair of glasses, rose-colored or not.