Fifth Limb

Fifth limb: 

it's the fifth limb of yoga I most overlooked, feeling that it was covered through my mediation practice, a natural withdrawal of the senses without any extra effort extended its way. I wasn't completely wrong in this assumption, meditation is a process that draws us from the outer world to a deep center of stillness and peace. But the fifth limb stands apart from meditation for a reason, it's a valuable branch that should be explored for the unique healing that it offers. 

and that's exactly what I'm doing. 

a recent set back due to an injury has caused a reevaluation of my practice, certain poses no longer in rotation and my sessions suddenly opening up with extra time. It's here that yoga nidra has come to play its role, a systematic withdrawal of the senses, guided, and with a deep rest provided. This has been a great gift to me, healing, an opportunity to fully explore the fifth limb and to discover why it has been designated a complete branch of its own. 

more importantly,

providing me a chance to deeply heal.

deeply so. 

yoga nidra has been different than any of my other practices, a more complete surrender it seems as I rely upon a voice to guide me safely to a vulnerable point of letting go. There's not a single aspect of myself in charge here, stage by stage coming to a new depth of restful awareness until there's just the core reality of beingness found. 

everything else discarded. 

~

Peace, Eric