Live by Feeling

What do you mean “what are you feeling?”  I introduced this question at the beginning, and repeated it at the end, of one of my corporate yoga classes recently.  A student approached me afterward wanting an explanation.  Suddenly, I realized “feeling” is a foreign concept for many humans given so many of us are “stuck” in our heads and not use to moving and acting from our hearts –our feeling center.

The right answer to how you’re feeling has to come from you, no one else.  Feelings depend on the moment you’re in now.  Feelings depend on what’s going on in your life – at work, with your family & friends, on your yoga mat, etc.  Feelings can be physical, mental and/or emotional.  And it’s normal for them to vary day-to-day, moment-to-moment.

Most of us rarely acknowledge how we are feeling.  If anything, we often put the feelings of others before ours.  The first step to feeling your feelings is becoming aware of simply “how are you feeling right now?”  The answer can be as simple as one word such as happy, grateful, beautiful, frustrated, angry, fearful, etc.  If answering this question is challenging, get on your yoga mat.  If you’re lost, read my next post (Live by Feeling, part II).