Reflections from the yoga mat (#3)

Personal musings from an ultramarathoning, Ironman triathlete who is also a 20+ year yoga practitioner…

The power of ohm-penning (opening) your heart

Might sound odd for a neuroscientist to say but I believe our hearts and souls are intimately connected, at a minimum, or are one and the same, at a maximum. Regardless, and regardless if the ‘soul’ can ever be shown to exist, this was my mental image today during my practice: an ohm-pen heart.

As a chronic pain specialist and someone who speaks about the importance of having an “open mind,” thinking about an open heart isn’t that crazy, right?

Today my yoga practice was an hour-long Vinyasa… relaxing, breathing, flowing amongst the postures… laughing and enjoying life. When I went into every position, I practiced mindful breathing into the major parts being flexed, stretched or involved in my balance — but not breathing with my lungs, but with my heart. I felt like I was able to both push myself in greater ways while I was able to not push at all. My body felt more expansive because my heart was. Powerful.

As I left the practice I was wondering how I could take my experience on the mat with me the rest of the day…