Yoga for real life
I was doing a photo shoot recently (some of you will already know I’m a portrait photographer alongside my yoga) and couldn’t help but be reminded that the physical aspects of a yoga practice are useful all the time, not only on the mat!
To make the most and the best of the lighting and positioning of my lovely client, I had to balance pretty much on tiptoes, on the raised doorframe leading from her study to the garden, to get the angle I wanted. Needing both hands to hold the camera, I used one elbow against the side of the door frame to give my constantly working/wobbling legs a bit of help.
On another shoot, of a fellow yoga teacher, I found myself flat on the ground of Clapham Common, doing a weird, wide v-shape legged, super low ‘sit up’ as I leaned back to get a great low angle.
In both these situations and plenty more, I might’ve ended up wrenching some part of my body and feeling the ache and strain the next day, and beyond. But I really think that my yoga practice means that in situations away from the mat I’m a lot more mindful and aware how I’m moving and holding my body.
Here’s another example you can maybe relate to, there’s only one left of the vodka/sugar/toilet cleaner that you need, and it’s right at the back of the top shelf in the shop. Lifting from the inhalation and reaching from the kidneys (rather than the fingertips), I bet you can reach it (determination works for the vodka too!).
And so on and so on, see if you can notice over the next 24 hours when or whether you’re aware of the body moving a certain way, or correcting itself to a more comfortable position, perhaps because of an awareness coming from your yoga practice.
It really isn’t one hour a week on the mat; over time the lessons we gain from yoga filter through to our every movement, arguably our every breath!
Attached below are the two final shots from the shoots I was referring to; luckily there’s no photo evidence of me in my weird positions..!
And I’d welcome opinions on my photography website! Take a look here: www.suedevenishmeares.co.uk
