5th Principle of Alignment

Be ACTIVE in all muscles needing to engage, RELAX in all places that do not need to be active.

Practicing mindful movement teaches us where we habitually hold stress and where we are weak or tense in our bodies. Discerning which muscles need to be active to create movement or hold you in a position, and which parts of your body can relax, will help you immensely in releasing tension, whether it be during yoga, sports, or simply sitting down. Most of us tend to hold tension in certain parts of our bodies, such as neck, shoulders, hips, chest, jaw, or forehead. Becoming aware of these tendencies will allow us to let them go, reserving our energy for where we really need it. At the same time, when exercising or simply walking around, we do ourselves a big favor by engaging all the muscles needed for each activity to create well rounded strength and stamina in our bodies.

Beyond the physical, we can apply this principle to our lives in many ways. Please consider examples of where in your life you can exert effort when necessary, and at the same time relax and allow life to flow whenever possible.