The Conversation: Power Yoga to Powerful Yoga
It’s no secret I stick to my guns on the yoga that is taught at Yoga Lab. We glue ourselves to the core values of our specific PowerVinyasa methodology. Is it for everyone? Who’s to say? Certainly not me. I’m ok with not being everything to everyone.
However, it’s been nagging me for a bit that the word “Power” in yoga requires a bit of dissecting. It’s so simple (I do it) to look at the word itself and assume that it speaks to the intensity of the practice. I think this is where I get stuck. The truth from my seeing is there are no levels in yoga, simply one practice. “Levels” and “advanced practice” are terms that yoga studios use to keep you wanting more.
What if there is no more?
I think about this constantly, what do I get from landing a handstand press if it’s just physical? Is that it? Am I done? No one hands me a medal, I don’t get to type in a high score, perhaps a few pats on the back on Instagram (That’s a whole nother’ Conversation)? What’s left?
Here’s the magic, “the more” “the what’s left” is how the press made me feel. Did it land on me in a way that was empowering? Did it land me in doubt? The more is in the endless possibilities of self inquiry that are opened in each movement.
Anyone can move the body, anyone can do a physical practice by sliding the ottoman out of the living room and watching any of 10,000 free yoga videos on YouTube. We move the spirit. This is when it becomes yoga. This is when it becomes powerful yoga. When the physical movements are tied to the self inquiry of how it makes you feel.
So here’s the good news, you don’t need to leave the room dripping in sweat to do PowerVinyasa. It’s power yoga when it becomes a powerful experience, period.
God willing, as long as I steer the ship YOU have every right to be in that studio, regardless of what the title is of the class. We don’t do basic at YL, let’s experiment with the shift from power yoga to powerful yoga. Whether you can press into a handstand or you’re falling all over the place, I’ll fall with you.
Always as one, Michael