Something's Changed

I stumbled across a great yoga practice this morning, which has put me in a good mood. While I'd say I'm a fairly competent yogi by now to direct my own practices, I seldom do. Having someone else lead the way helps get me out of my head and in the moment, and Cole's one of my favorite online teachers. Anyway, it had that thing where someone says exactly what's on your mind, which seems totally random, but maybe it's not? Cole started the practice with a bit of a meditation about integrating, about fighting the pressure to keep on trucking and allowing yourself to stop and acknowledge what's changed in your life. It's something I've been recognizing in myself a fair bit in the past few weeks.

I'm learning to absorb and be more aware, I guess. More present rather than switching everything on auto-pilot, which can be awfully tempting. Even with my yoga practices, I used to have a hard time both in meditations and in Shavasana, which is precisely the end practice of integrating the movement and whatever changes it might've brought into your body.

I'm always so tempted to just skip ahead. To jump off the mat, another item crossed off my to-do list, and move on with the next. And I realize doing so wouldn't decrease the value of the practice itself. Like, even if I don't take 3 minutes at the end of my practice to feel and acknowledge what I've done, the stretches have still happened. My body is still a little more flexible than it was yesterday.

But skipping ahead encourages this state of disconnect between the physical and the psyche. If my mind's already barrelling ahead to whatever task I've set for myself after yoga, it's leaving the body in the dust, in a sense. Separating completely from what the body is doing, and I think that creates a fair amount of frustration and discontent.

So yeah.

At the same time, I'm also working on disconnecting from the past, in a sense. I'm working on identifying residual sorrow or unease that might feel familiar, but might not be exactly of the present. I have noticed I have a tendency to dwell and to hold on in a sense to the past status quo because it feels easy, but when I look closer and embody where I am right now, it no longer computes.

An interesting sort of duality, one I'm trying to move through with the help of music, as it is after all #threetunetuesday, and thanks to the lovely @ablaze, we're encouraged to reflect on our listening choices for the week.

I'm beyond excited to be seeing this amazing duo live next month, so have been listening to their new album a fair bit. This particular title track really resonated with me, since it touches on this wonderful state of love and awe that I often find myself in at certain people, and more generally at the world.

Like a matador, they'll adore you
For every heart you tore through
And like every matador before you
They're praying for the bulls to gore you

It can also become a sorrowful tune quite easily, but I guess you need to choose to focus on that. Right now, I'm focusing on the love and awe aspect. I think they're strong places to start from.

I woke up with this gem in my head and it's been more or less on repeat all morning. It's just such an intense feel-good that vibes with my mood right now and with the lovely weather. Besides, how could anyone not have a good day watching baby Ren rap at them?

You gotta sing, man.

And finally, this one has been my anthem for the week. I was feeling pretty low when I first heard it. I remember thinking "you promise?", but yeah, he does. This guy was a super random online find a few months ago - I'm still in awe at how small the view counts are, despite what I think is notable talent. Really curious where this young man's gonna be in a couple of years. He deserves it. If only for this song.

Where are you at, music-wise?