I recently discovered the enormous power of Ananda Yoga Therapy to change consciousness (specifically, my consciousness!).
For almost a year, I had been dealing with chronic pain in my neck and upper back. When one day my chiropractor said with dismal finality that I might need a cortisone shot, I knew I needed to get more engaged in the healing process. I sensed there were karmic reasons for the pain; its source seemed to radiate from a knot in my heart.
So, I made an appointment to see Ananda yoga therapist Maitri Jones, who quickly tuned in to my stiffness and unbalance. She asked me to do some of my favorite yoga postures and began making corrections, big corrections!
It was a revelation to discover how out of balance I had been. Her adjustments to my poses brought an immediate positive effect, as I was suddenly able to breathe deeply from my abdomen. I felt taller. I felt centered in a place of inner peace and courage that was new to me.
Since I felt that past hurts lodged in my heart were the source of the neck and shoulder pain, Maitri recommended that I address that stiffness in the center of my heart. An affirmation came quickly to me: “I release all heart strings tied to past and future, dissolving them in Omnipresent Love.”
It has been a month since my first yoga therapy session. The relatively simple exercises seem to have unraveled thought forms that I call: “worry, hurry, and hide.” My natural posture has relaxed into place, supported by bones and gradually softening muscles. It is much easier to breathe, relax, and release tension consciously, allowing my mind and body to respond to life with greater lightness and freedom.
