Being vertical
A friend came up with a wonderful phrase this week, he decided he was going to be more vertical, after realising that he'd been being too laid back, too horizontal, in some areas of his life. I found it rather inspiring — it spoke to me of being honest, being straight and being empowered. It reminded me of what my yoga teacher, Karta Singh, said on my last teacher training module:
“Go into all interactions as a vertical, be who you are, know what you know, don’t know what you don’t know, say what you mean, and leave horizontal, learning from and changed by the interaction, which isn’t to say you have to agree, just that you have listened and taken in and felt what the other person offered.”
It was also a useful reflection — what angles am I coming in with people. Bending forwards — trying to have power over and force the other to come round to my view. Bending back and giving the other power over me. Bending to the sides trying to get around the other person. Am I really listening to the other person or am I too attached to my view as right? It was really fascinating — I spotted them all 😀 So useful to also reflect, with a great deal of kindness towards oneself, am I being straight with myself. Am I standing up for what I need and want? Or is it always about what I need or want? Is there some re-balancing that is needed?
It can also be a really lovely mindfulness practice. When you sit, how does it feel to sit straight — to find that lovely sense of balance where the weight is grounded into the chair, the lower half of the body softening and relaxing its weight, and the upper half of the body reaching for the sky. Feeling the spine lifting up with every in breath, whilst the lower half of the body continues to sink and relax. Letting the breath soften the belly and gently open out the chest, so that you feel open to the world. Letting the shoulder blades draw down the back so the chest is lifted. Finding that lovely sense of groundedness steadiness balance and openness and breathing and enjoying it. And you can try this walking — are you leaning forward as you walk — or leaning back, are you slouching, rounding the shoulders and back? Can you find a posture that feels beautifully upright and relaxed and open? Where the movement feels like it's coming from the navel. Walking from the navel — it's quite delicious 😀 What do you notice about how you feel when you practice physical straightness? What do you notice about how you interact with people?
Image thanks to Joseph Barriento and Unsplash
Wishing you a lovely week of mindful walking
Amrit Jiwan xx