Practice as you are guided from within.
Feel for the unspoken, settle into the stillness,
and slowly you will release the burdens
from your tissues.
The knots within will loosen, and the pressures will ease.
-- unknown (if you know the author, please let me know so I can give credit.)
Practice as you are guided from within... This is usually how my home practice works. If you're new to yoga, this is difficult, but once you've practiced to the point of being able to connect inside, or as I like to say, "tap into the soul," this type of practice will serve you well. At Kripalu, they call it meditation in motion, and I absolutely love it. Here's how it works for me:
I start out seated on my meditation cushion and go into dirgha and ujjayi breath. I get into a meditative state, and I don't move until I feel moved from the inside. I don't think about what to do -- I keep my mind in the background so that my entire practice arises spontaneously. It's different every time -- sometimes gentle, sometimes very vigorous, sometimes lots of inversions or lots of twists or long holds, sometimes lots of spontaneous pranayama. It's always a surprise, and it's always just what my body needs. Meditation in motion is considered an advanced practice, so if it doesn't come easily to you, don't worry. As Pattabhi Jois always said, "Practice, and all is coming."
Namaste!
Sandy Pradas