
16 Feb Embracing Duality & Designing Your Best Life
by Loren Boyd
One of the things I value most about The Studio are the values we have around both individuality + independence and also community + togetherness.
We are here for ourselves first, to take care of our bodies and minds, to take responsibility for ourselves and our lives. But we are also here together, we show up together, silently connected by breath during class. There’s a subtle language of stillness in the present moment, one we all speak fluently moving from one posture to the next. We are here because coming together feeds both our need for self-care and our basic human need for connection.
What a beautiful reminder of the duality of life, of the way two opposite ideas can exist together, coming together to form something truly unique, a balanced interaction of opposites that turn out to be complementary.
I feel like we often get hung up in life when we don’t embrace the fact that these dualities are all around us, begging us to integrate. We insist that this cannot be if this is, and resistance builds. We try to change things or mold them to our liking, but it doesn’t work. The dark needs the light and the light needs the dark.
How do you embrace duality?
Give yourself permission to explore parts of yourself, ideas, experiences, and feelings that you did not think could co-exist. If you feel an expansion, if you feel you are growing and thriving as a result, then fully embrace the duality of and, not or. Can you allow both things to be true?
This idea has been a big part of my awareness journey over the past few years. And life feels a lot lighter and more enjoyable when I embrace both sides of circumstances with love and acceptance.
So, if you’re coming to class soon at The Studio, remember that you don’t have to talk to anyone, you can come in quietly and leave right after class or you can talk it up before and after. Do what you feel and be authentic. Every day is different and it’s okay to be where you are today. No matter how you show up, we see you, and your presence matters here. Your commitment to yourself is fueling the WE of this community. Keep going. Stay true to the path of growth that your yoga practice brings you. There is nothing more beautiful than this lifelong commitment to yourself.
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