As you get further along in your asana practice, you start to understand how yoga postures require you to internally “hug” muscle to bone. In doing so, muscles actively embrace the bones which give your poses stability, strength and ultimately, the support needed for your body to blossom open effortlessly.
Hugging people is an expression of love, care and peace. When we actively embrace another human being, there’s a feeling of bonding. We feel internally supported and externally connected to the other person; hence, strengthening the relationship and generating an internal feeling of ease.
Hugging means bonding/joining. The translation of yoga is union. Could the simple practice of learning to hug muscle to bone in an asana class start to open us up to hugging more externally? Many of us in the Western world hold back when greeting someone. Often times a handshake, or worse a head-nod, suffices.
What if (the scary “what if”) we yogis started to take hugging off the mat and into our daily lives? Some of us already probably do this because we’ve internally experienced the sense of strength and peace hugging internally (muscle to bone) and externally (embracing Mom) can offer. If yoga makes you feel good, why not help those who haven’t/won’t do yoga feel better by simply offering them a hug. A hug can be an easy reminder to someone they’re human and feeling is a good thing.
Hug yourself today. Hug someone else today. Who doesn’t want to feel lighter, more confident, happier and a sense of internal peace? It’s human to want to hug and be hugged. Don’t hold back. Share your hugging potential with yourself and others.