By Courtney Zenner, RYT-200, MFA Candidate
As yoga teachers who are lifelong yoga students, constantly evolving our practice, how much are we able to experience true peace and serenity within ourselves? At the heart of this for me is the question of personal practice. Prajna Yoga has helped me deepen my commitment and direction in personal practice within the walls of my home.
At the end of a recent online class, Tias said, “When you abide in serenity, let the sense of serenity spread. Across your back, your neck, your shoulders…” While Tias directed the instruction toward the experience of the body, I know he was also speaking to more than the physical, toward the mental and spiritual. When I practice at home or in a studio, the serenity in my body and mind are what I work to cultivate. Outside of weekly classes, the dedicated yoga/meditation space and time in my own home allow me to practice calmness and encourage vitality in my body. And it’s the serenity I cultivate in my practice space at home that serves others in the outside world as I step off the mat. Even if it’s just ten minutes in the morning, a daily yoga and meditation practice gives me just enough spaciousness within my day to – maybe just for a moment – not snap when I am annoyed, to take a deep breath when I’m at a stoplight, to enjoy a cool breeze rather than scroll another few minutes on my phone. The accumulation of small moments like this does indeed spread serenity.
I am fortunate my home has a backyard with raised garden beds. This spring, we planted seeds of native pollinating flowers, bok choy, and lacinato kale. The seeds don’t grow on their own. They need to be first sprouted in warmed trays indoors, then transferred to the ground, and then watered, protected from wildlife, and encouraged with sunshine. I am likewise privileged to have enough space in my own home for a physical practice room. However, the room itself does not grow my yoga practice, my physical agility, or my peace of mind. I need to make the space in my schedule to physically show up each day. Tias and Surya’s online live classes each week infuse my yoga space with that opportunity, and beyond that, with deep and precise teachings that uplevel my home practice. And with that, the challenge of growing serenity in daily life becomes much more manageable.
