Fold + Unfold

by Elyse Brogdon, CY Teacher and Director of People + Processes

If you’ve taken class with me, you’ve likely heard a sentiment along the lines of “the game of life is learning how to do our laundry over and over again for the rest of our lives and not lose our minds.” Though it might sound simple, or maybe even a bit underwhelming, this is one of the undeniable truths of the human experience. Our ability to walk the very long road (from birth to death, from ideation to achievement) requires a willingness, surrender to, and embracing of persistence through repetition.

In a literal sense, we fold and unfold our bodies on the mat every time we practice. Like origami for our bodies, asana gives us the opportunity to take on different shapes that hold and transform our prana in unique ways. Every pose has a first fold, typically at the hip crease, that sets up every other angle in the posture. Clear folds and precise angles help us build a metaphorical cup-that-doesn’t-leak, which allows us to explore and expand our internal world every time we practice. When the time comes to unfold, we remove the angles from our bodies and return to our initial blank canvas, which of course is never blank at all. Just as the paper crane is at the same time a piece of paper and something so much more, we are always ourselves, and so much more.

As a whole, the Spring Cleaning challenge is a bit like doing our laundry (though I would argue, much more fun). Every day, we unroll our mat and roll it back up, knowing that even if we have the most well organized, incredible practice one day, or off-balanced, agitating practice the next, we keep coming back over and over again. It is never just the asana alone that transforms us. It is the willing persistence, the eager return day after day, that truly creates the conditions for a life very well lived.

THEMED CLASS: Join Elyse and Dr. Alex in Detroit at 5:15 for a special Katonah Yoga® + Acupuncture for the Spring Season.