Modern life constantly bombards us with relentless stimuli, and digital connectivity, drawing us outwards, often resulting in the neglecting of our inner life. Yoga turns us towards the fullness and richness of where our life really is. 

This requires comfortable, slow and intentional movements. These are most the effective ways of reversing Sensory Motor Amnesia. A gradual unconsious diminishing of motor and sensory maps, due to muscle tension, lack of varied movement, stress or inury.   

According to the Hatha Yoga Pradapika, 
"Brute force is explicitly ruled out, and both overexertion and actions that hurt the body, are impediments to progression".

 

We have an innate, authentic intelligence, specifically our sensory field, that keeps us safe, and informed of our inner and outer lives. Through our pratice, we have the opportunity of refining this sensory language.

I will always encourage people to move as close to their 'normal function', as comfortably as possible, rather than avoiding it. As soon as we start avoiding it, we will gradually lose it. 

Yoga was never about moving the body, it was about quietening the mind. But, we move the body, in order to quieten the mind.

 

I'm all for experiences that promote well-being and a positive outlook, but a well rounded practice should also consider our full range of emotions, and our abilty to turn towards them, with an open curiosity. 

Our practice encourages us to move with less haste, and to bring greater attention to how we feel, moment to moment, on the mat, and in life! 
 

We can often get seduced by thinking that continuously exploring our limits is beneficial.
We should treat our limits as a warning, and not as a target.