“We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.”
– John Dryden
Weekly Focus: Samskaras (habits, impressions)
Samskaras are the subtle impressions left by past thoughts, intentions and actions. These show up habitually in our automatic responses to the world. Cultivating an awareness of these habits leaves space for us to recognize where we may be responding without intentionality.
Samskaras are often translated simply as our habits, but they are much deeper. These habitual impressions become ingrained into our subconscious, so much so that we may not even be aware of them. Depending on your school of thought, these are left behind from past lives, past actions, past situations etc.
Consider impressions that you are aware of in your life. Some may be more potent or close to the surface, such as traumas we are aware of (injury to the body, hurt feelings, gaslighting) and some may need help uncovering such as traumas we have hidden away (childhood traumas, familial relationships). These leave impressions on us, and often times reactions that we don’t know are occurring.
This work can be challenging, and often needs the help of a trusted individual or professional, but ultimately, it relies on our Self. A willingness to look within, to analyze, and consider why we may be saying, thinking or acting in any particular way. Recognizing past hurts, past failures, past embarrassments, etc is one step closer to allowing space for these to exist within us, and to move beyond.
What habitual patterns do you notice in your own life?
Passive Pose of the Week: Prone Twist
Not only are gentle twists a lovely practice during this season, but they are symbolic of release. Lovingly detach from the habits that do not serve you well.
- Begin sitting on the floor with the legs straight out in front of you.
- Come into a side seat sitting on your right hip, letting the knees bend to about 90 degrees, pointing in the same direction.
- Turn and rotate the torso over the right thigh and place yor hands on the ground in front of your thigh.
- Being to walk your hands forward as your lower your torso to the ground.
- Use about [3] breaths to gradually enter the pose. Once you come to your most comfortable posture, take about [7] breaths before gently lifting out of the fold and taking the second side.
This posture should feel soft and gentle. To help with that, support the upper body and the arms with props. A large bolster, cushion, or pillow can be a lovely landing pad for the belly and chest. If the elbows need padding, try bringing blankets underneath of the elbows to soften the floor. Turn your head either direction to have a comfortable position for the spine.
Active Pose of the Week: Suryanamaskar A (Sun Salutation A)
Suryanamaskars or Sun Salutations are often repeated frequently in classes. If we know the flow very well, we may start to move more from habit and less from intentionality. Practice being in every aspect of this sequence.
- Begin in a standing Mountain pose (tadasana).
- Inhale and reach your arms overhead, as you exhale fold foward.
- Inhale and press your hands to your shins and extend the spine into a halway lift. Exhale and fold. Step back to plank pose.
- From a plank position inhale, and as you exhale, slowly lower to the floor, lowering the knees to help if needed.
- Inhale and lift your chest up into a cobra pose, keeping your thighs on the ground.
- Exhale and lower your chest back down to the ground. Press yourself to downward facing dog.
- Look forward, breathe in, and step to the top of your mat into a forward fold. Exhale.
- Inhale to lift up halfway again, extending your spine, exhale and fold.
- As you inhale, rise up to stand stretching your arms overhead. Exhale and lower your hands down by your sides.
- Repeat for 3 – 5 cycles.
Take this flow several times, and each time you move through, approach the positions with curiosity. Do you land in the same spot each time? Can you pause for an extra cycle of breath to analyze how you feel in the pose? It can be a powerful experience to slow down a sequence and allow ourselves to reflect on how we feel or experience every position. What does it feel like to really become aware through every moment of your Sun Salutation?
Join us in class this week to practice your self-awareness and recognition of samskaras. See the full schedule HERE.
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