elements of ease: Radiate

Over the course of several months, I've been writing about the 5 Elements of Ease that I use as a framework for teaching Restorative yoga. These elements are correlated to the subtle body theory of the Koshas. The ancient yogis believed that we are not just one body, but that we are made up of 5 layers that move one from a tangible experience to something more and more refined and subtle.

I think it's quite natural to be able to feel your body yielding to the props in a Restorative yoga class and to track the movement of your breath as it flows in and out. With each subsequent layer our ability to drop in deeper can often elude us. We set ourselves up in a way so that all of our resources direct has towards the final layer which I call Radiate.

The fifth Element of Ease is aligned to the Anandamaya Kosha. The word "ananda" in Sanskrit means "bliss." When I think of bliss, I think of an inner radiance emanating and animating from within. It's as if our very essence shines through as a feeling of aliveness or vibrancy. We can carry this bliss in how we engage with ourselves and others. We might feel more available, eloquent and light.

While I think Restorative Yoga is a great resource to use in this exploration of Radiance, I don't believe it's the only way. Our practices are meant to direct our attention in such a way that we might experience a glimmer of this in our field awareness. I believe that even the faintest shimmer is enough of a hook to call us back over and over again.