‘A true linking of body and mind takes place when the spaciousness of attention created by the physical practise of yoga receives the gift of story.’
How do we expand the essence of yoga off the mat and bring it alive in our lives? By pausing, reflecting and combining the power of yoga retreat and storytelling!
There is a story about a poor, ragged, old woman who went from house to house looking for alms, everyone closed the door in her face and turned her away.
A finely dressed young man arrived in town on a beautiful horse. He was greeted with joyful enthusiasm welcomed heartily and given food and gifts. He saw the old woman and beckoned to her. ‘Ride with me,’ he whispered, ‘I will wrap you in my cloak.’
The old woman’s name was Truth and the young man’s name Story. From then on, when they rode together and when Truth was wrapped in the cloak of Story, she was no longer turned away and that is how it still is today.
Humans are story-making beings – it is how we make sense of the world we live in; it is essential to our nature having been part of the fabric of society since ancient times. Stories engage and uplift, and help us to make meaning.
The fundamental teachings of yoga, such as the interconnectedness of all things, can be difficult concepts to grasp directly. Stories help us to understand essential truths. Many old stories hold multiple meanings. They are in that sense very good metaphors and containers for the deeper mysteries of life which are simple but many faceted. This quality in story of holding multiple meanings allows us to find our own interpretation relevant to us at this point in our lives.
The physical practice of yoga is a wonderful teacher; when combined with philosophical discussion inspired through a story we can greatly deepen our understanding and depth of experience. This brings yoga practice alive in life, not just on the mat.
A true linking of body and mind takes place when the spaciousness of attention created by the physical practise of yoga receives the gift of story. Brought closer to ourselves and the essence of our being, we can feel the power of our interconnectedness and live in a way that uplifts and heals.
Anna Ashby is an experienced senior teacher at triyoga. Her training in alignment based schools of classical yoga combined with her love of and training in dance add to her a unique style of teaching. Her teaching has a subtle intelligence, focussing on precision and alignment. Her direct experience of the yoga tradition while spending 12 years in an Ashram in up state New York underpins her teaching with a deep understanding of yoga philosophy. She is a founder and senior faculty member of triyoga’s teacher training program and holds the highest level of certification from Yoga Alliance both in the UK and in the US (E-RYT 500/Senior Teacher). For more information about Anna’s schedule visit her website https://www.annaashby.com/
Sarah Deco is a storyteller, a teller of myths, wonder tales and folk tales. She comes to this with a wealth of experience in the field of personal development and group therapy. Her storytelling is informed her own practise of yoga and meditation and inspired by an understanding of how stories help us grow and develop psychologically and spiritually. https://www.sarahdecostoryteller.com/
