The power of yoga to transform our physical bodies is something well known and highly sought after. In the last fifty years, we have seen an explosion of growth in yoga in the West and different ways in which we have interpreted the practice. Less practiced is the true meaning of yoga, which means literally “to yoke”, to gain union with the divine. One of my favorite ways to connect with my own divinity within, and that of the creator, is to offer my practice as a devotion. This process involves a series of visualization in which I see each pose and flow as an energetic offering, opening my heart to the grace and guidance of my higher self and guides beyond this density. As athletes well know, visualizations can help build not only our confidence in our ability to accomplish a goal/move/desired outcome but the body doesn’t actually know the difference between something happening in the 3D or simply in our minds eye. They can become powerful attractor points fulfilling our desires. In this yogic application, my offering is less about accomplishing something (although you could use it to accomplish a physical pose, visualizing yourself in its full form) and more as an offering of reciprocity for what has already been given. It is a moving meditation of gratitude for my body, this practice, this life and an opportunity to express the divinity within me. In the series of poses below, I am intentionally not offering any guidance or actions to take about the physical posture. There is plenty of that out there and my focus here isn’t on you physically achieving these poses or about the sequence itself. The poses are illustrating one way in which I use visualizations to connect with the divine. Borrow mine or be creative with your own. There is no right or wrong here, simply connect to the feeling within the pose, what is it bringing up for you? Are you opening your heart? Are you pulling in power to your core, your “I am”, you’re 3rd chakra? Perhaps you are stimulating the crown and you visualize nectar or honey dripping down it. Be playful and imaginative (think more Pisces less Virgo here) and allow yourself to see the energy that you are giving and receiving in your practice, taking it from a physical exercise and into a sacred offering of the heart.
Together without the visuals, the flow looks something like this.
Now adding what I see in my mind’s eye reveals something more like this!
Keep in mind this is just inspiration in + spīrō (“breathe”) .
Allow yourself to envision what speaks to your heart.
Go on now, try it for yourself. Don’t do it my way do it your way and see what kind of magic shows up!