BFO! Blinding flash of the obvious. I first heard this on a Natural HorseManShip -NHMS course. The instructor was explaining how many things can be explained to us in many different ways and we have an understanding of whatever they are and how they work individually and together. While your learning these new concepts and ideas putting them together can be clumsy and awkward. And then one day all of a sudden you see one small part of the whole in a completely different way, something feels different there's a realisation of oh that's how it works and it all makes a new sense and changes how you see it all - BFO! - we get a blinding flash of the obvious. That one small thing makes you realise how often we over complicate things. Sometimes it takes a lot of learning to realise how simple something can be. At this point our understanding changes/deepens and we know we can not go back. This understanding will change how we do things moving forward. This new understanding forges a new path and way of being yourself and being with horses - if you do horses. It becomes something you feel not just know. keep reading I'm getting to the yoga bit soon.
I've had many BFO's during my NHMS journey some on courses when watching others and having conversations about the concept of NHMS. Some in quiet moments with my own horse while working on building the relationship I have with him. And some in riding lessons while the instructor guides me to find feel and connection with my horse.
I found when a BFO happens to me - it is a thing that I feel deep within almost like a piece of soul retrieval, it makes me feel humbled yet more whole. Within the BFO its almost like you let go of how you think it should be and see how it actually is. I find horses are really good at showing you the way. And most are really patient and forgiving. And those that are not are a sharp reality check. We can learn a lot from horses.
Why I am talking about NHMS when this is a yoga thing/blog well I think they are both the same. We can practice the moves/asanas and work on self awareness. And every now and then you get a BFO a new level of understanding of yoga and all that it has to offer. It isn't simply poses and moves. Even in learning the yoga philosophy we can learn it all on an intellectual level and never feel it.
Yoga is a work in and not a work out.
Yoga to me is kindness to self, non judgement of self , self awareness of patterns and cycles that we we move in, through or become stuck in. If we can truly see ourself this where we start to get the BFO's in yoga. The journey to the self through the self! Yoga really is an inside job! Yoga and NHMS are the same as they are both journeys of self discovery. Both journeys require the practitioner to let go of old ways of thinking and doing. I know with both of these journeys that I am aiming to undo the complicatedness of being a human. We live in society that seems to only value busy-ness, productivity and high achievements. Rest, non-demanding time and self awareness are so underrated, yet so powerful.
The journey of yoga begins within and radiates outward.
Yoga is an inward self sufficient practice.
A few yoga BFO's - being able to move your joints well out weighs the perfect execution an advanced pose.
- don't worry if your yoga doesn't look like everyone else's yoga.
- it's a journey with your soul as the destination.
- you don't have to know or even understand it all.
- it's ok to accept and fully embrace where you are at and still want to change.
Sarsha ✨
PS yoga should be fun even though it can be a deep and reflective practice a sense of fun/play, friendship, support and community are also important.
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