Yoga Pose Of The Week: Sukhasana

Basic Instruction:
Take a comfortable cross-legged seat either on the floor or on a cushion. The hands are placed on the knees palms up. The spine lengthens up away from the base of the seat.

Tips:
- The knees are to be in line or below the front hip bones. If not, placing a cushion under the seat can elevate the hips into proper alignment.
- The knees and hips are even so that the weight of the body is centered over the seat.

Questions To Notice In This Pose:
- If my eyes are open, am I finding myself distracted by what I see around me? Is it possible to try to close my eyes and try to listen to myself?
- If my eyes are closed, am I finding myself being distracted by holding onto my thoughts? Is it possible to try to notice my thoughts and let them pass by?
- Is my jaw tight? Or my eyebrows furrowed? Is it possible to relax them?
- Are my shoulders slumping forward? Is it possible to release them and allow my chest and heart to be broad?
- Am I comfortable with listening to my thoughts? Am I comfortable with the silence?

This Pose In My Practice:
For me, this pose is easy to get into, but hard to maintain.

Some days, I am comfortable with my own thoughts and finding a comfortable seat isn’t so difficult. Some days, (and honestly most days lately), I find that my thoughts are filled with worries about things I can and cannot control. By holding onto these thoughts, I find myself resistant to change, and ultimately uncomfortable with myself.

But this is the practice, and things change day-by-day. So I keep coming back to my mat to see what unfolds.

Loving Thoughts. Loving Words. Loving Heart.