Not that it is a defect, but sometimes it can represent an imaginary wall, very thin, but indestructible that stands between us and the others: we talk about shyness, that trait of personality that, to use a metaphor, prevents us from fully blossoming in certain circumstances, generally those that provide for interactions with other people; it makes us feel small closed buds, crushed by the other vaporous and radiant flowers.
This reluctance to put oneself in the center does not at all imply that our petals are less splendid or our perfume is less sweet, it simply signals that we are not able to open ourselves and to show all our full beauty with the same naturalness as others .
Can yoga give us a little hand to flourish?
Yogic cues for shyness
Obviously no asanas can go to act directly on the character or the furrows of the personality; however, it is equally true that yoga immerses us in a flow that is always positive for our well-being and that, if we let ourselves be carried away by the current, it will go to act where it is needed most, both physically and mentally.
Therefore, with regard to shyness, we feel that we observe that:
- If attending any type of course "forces" us to interact directly with other students or with the teacher, yoga is a rather solitary and intimate discipline, even if shared with dozens of other people . Each mat is a small personal island that does not involve interaction with the other, if not voluntary. Likewise, the yogic environments are generally welcoming and warm, designed to put students at ease even from a human point of view. A great nest for all the shy!
- During the yoga class, the student is gently led to confront his or her limitations and accept them . Where possible, slowly, thanks to the practice, it will be able to overcome them. This gradual and non-competitive approach slowly becomes part of the yogi's way of dealing with the whole existence and the problems connected with it. Thus, one learns to accept even the least welcome aspects of oneself, in this case shyness, without judgment or, even less, blame. A soul is cultivated aimed at personal upliftment, but tinged with benevolence without falling into impatience or anger along the difficult path of personal improvement.
- We agree with the acceptance of our own limits, but, as yoga teaches, we can always try to overcome them . Following our ambit, we propose a position that can create some embarrassment for the more timid students and therefore act as a delicate "goad". Always with profound respect for personal sensitivity, we invite you to cultivate the position of the lion (simhasana). Let's see how it's done.
Yoga and the approach to yoga
The position of the lion to overcome shyness
- Start sitting on your heels, hands on your thighs with your fingers spread out, well apart
- inhale and in the exhalation open your mouth to the maximum, pull out your whole tongue with the tip towards the floor, eyes wide open, arms stretched and fingers stretched. Emit the sound "ha" for the duration of the exhalation.
- the look can be neutral, or oriented at the center between the eyebrows or towards the tip of the nose
A particular asana, even funny, but which acts deeply on fears and instills courage .
Shy flowers waiting to bloom
Not all flowers have a shameless beauty, some are small and delicate yet very sweet. Although shyness can sometimes act as a brake on our exploding, let's feel like little hidden but unforgettable flowers: by internalizing this awareness we will lose our insecurities little by little and we will be able to ... bloom.
