An asana is like a mirror.
Each one reveals something that a superficial glance could never capture.
An asana sets you free when you open your chest, opening your heart to infinite possibilities.
An asana gives you strength and resilience when your arms are trembling and you stay for those five breaths that, in that moment, seem as though they will never end.
An asana can grant you rest when you embrace yourself, when you exhale deeply through your mouth, when you surrender into Savasana.
An asana cultivates discipline, the ability to rebuild yourself little by little.
An asana allows you to adapt to your body, but not to your mind and the limits it imposes.
An asana helps you overcome your greatest fears by facing them, looking them directly in the eyes, and moving through them.
An asana is the salvation of the soul, the preservation of love, the possibility of forgiveness, and the ability to move forward without forgetting the past.
What happens when we cry during a yoga class? Yoga works on a psychosomatic level, which means it goes far beyond simple physical exercise. When we practice conscious breathing, we reduce our heart rate and expand the diaphragm, the most important muscle for calming the nervous system when it has been activated. Panic attacks are often the result of thoughts that disrupt breathing, creating the sensation of not being able to get enough air. When you feel that knot in your throat, begin to breathe deeply and return to awareness of what is happening, as if you were an outside observer. These insights come not only from personal experience but are also supported by scientific research.
This is why asanas are a mirror: the body stores emotions, while yoga helps release them. And sometimes what we find is not pleasant, nor is it easy to accept. Yet, to heal, this is the first essential step: to stop and look within. Yoga challenges you profoundly, there is only you and your body. No extra weights, no training designed to exhaust all your energy. Yoga is for the courageous. Yoga teaches you to support your body, and in doing so, to support yourself.
I spent my first two years crying during almost every class, especially in Savasana, the final posture. Throughout the practice, we move the body, the water it contains, and therefore everything it holds onto. In Savasana, body and mind find a space of rest, and it is there, feeling safe, that they finally let go completely, lowering their defenses. They move from a state of alertness, which may have been present for years or even a lifetime, to a state of calm and security.
And when we feel safe, we can finally be ourselves, stripped of all the masks we have built over time to survive difficult situations that are now in the past. The key is understanding that the world may continue to disappoint you, but you can choose to find the strength to rise again every time without ever ceasing to love.
With love,
Silvana
