It is beautiful to observe a human body in various positions. Imagine yourself watching dancers perform high jumps and graceful swirls, or flexible yogis in a yoga studio Dubai performing deep twists and flowing movements, including handstands.
Hence, when stepping into the best yoga studio Dubai, many yoga practitioners focus on the aesthetic aspects of asanas. Their goal is to be aligned, flexible, reach their toes with their heads, or feel comfortable doing splits. And that’s just the beginning of never-ending expectations! Unfortunately, there is the trap in the external appearance of asanas becoming the priority and final goal of asana practice.
“I assume it was a picture of correct posture, precision, and perfection. My guess is also that you were amazed, mesmerized, thrilled, and captivated by the impression of effortlessness and fluidity.”
Conversely, have you ever wondered what you will achieve by putting your body in certain positions? What is the purpose of that? What is the need for such perfection in alignment?
Alignment simply refers to the positioning of body regions in relation to one another. The joints are usually used as reference points. This positioning affects soft tissues, bones, organs and more. The alignment should therefore not be performed for aesthetics, but for safety. There are many factors that influence how we can align our bodies, such as genetics, age, health, injury history, fitness level, awareness of the body, and many more. Because we are different, the alignment that is beneficial to my body may not be beneficial to yours.
Alignment in the sense of aesthetics does not contribute to the locomotive system’s functionality or structure.The visual perfection is satisfying to our cognition and somatics. The alignment of the body is perfect when it ensures safety to the body, especially when it is loaded. For instance, when we lift 30 kilograms, we need to align certain regions of the body so the forces are distributed evenly and safely. We also need perfect alignment in the context of pain reduction.
For people experiencing joint pain, experimenting with body alignments is critical to finding those that allow for decompression and are more comfortable. Therefore, alignment is perfect when it is done for a particular person and their specific purpose.
By focusing on ideal visual alignment, we miss out on experiencing the ‘here and now’ and learning more about ourselves. In order to be safe, you must be aware of your body, release tension, and ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing as well as how should I do that to feel more comfortable? Alignment is dynamic and depends on how we feel in a particular pose. The more we practice, the more we need to realign ourselves, both mentally and physically. The process of alignment is continuous.
There is more to it. The yoga mat offers us a level, sticky, safe, and cushioned rectangular space. As yoga practitioners, we are often concerned with aligning our bodies on the mat. How do you maintain alignment beyond the mat? What if I tried the same alignment on sand, rocks or
mud as I did on the mat? Adapting to nature and our daily needs requires a variety of alignments to stress tissues under different angles. A healthy life requires exploration, playfulness, adaptability, and resilience. In other words, rather than focusing on a picture-perfect body on the mat, discover the out-of-the-box explorer inside you.
As stated in Yoga Sutra II.46: Sthira Sukham Asanam (posture should be steady and comfortable) – we should look for ease and steadiness in asanas rather than aesthetics. Whether you’re practicing at the best yoga studio Dubai or outdoors, feelings are more important than looks.
Once you align your body to those feelings, you’ll be in a perfect position. This is just a prerequisite for fixing the mind, which is yogic practice’s ultimate goal.
