I am still practicing Pranayama only once a day – in the morning. I am using the practice my teacher gave to me over 4 months ago. The regularity of my practices changes depending on life’s vibrations . I don’t struggle to practice – when life throws me off I wait or try to do something to settle myself so that practice shimmers for me once again.
I have recently felt an opening up in my practice. There is no more effort where occassionaly there was. There is a better quality to the practice and it is better sustained throughout the practice. So I had some thoughts to contact my teacher and consult about moving on with the practice. I’ve decided not to.
Despite the overall improvement in my practice it is still effected by the movements in my life. There is plenty of irregular movement in my life – and it manifests in my practices. Had my life circumstances been settled, steady and supportive of a refined practice then I would probably want to move on with my practice. But if I change my practice now then I will create another instability on-the-mat which I really don’t need or want. I expect the turmoil in my life to continue for some time yet and so I am grateful for the relatively calm waters of my practice.
So I am sticking with my current practice. I will let it continue to stabilize, expand and refine within me. I am also looking to the horizon hoping to find my way back to a second practice.
Sidenote: This morning as I was sitting quietly after my Pranayama practice I placed my attention on the physical movement of breathing in my torso. I encountered an odd sensation – my breathing was relaxed and abdominal but it felt like only the right side of my abdomen was moving – the left side felt lifeless. There wasn’t any tension or pain or even discomfort in the left side – it simply felt cut off from my breathing. Odd sensation.