Perception is the organization, identification, and interpretation of the information that is constantly bombarding our brains.
We create a sensual picture of our world and selves through seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and feeling.
But are we creating an accurate picture?
How well do you think you know how you walk, sit and stand?
The answer is not all that well if my many years of looking at people have served me correctly.
I have essentially been teaching the same yoga class every day for 10 years.
Physical variations find their way in, in that we do different poses and exercises, but really I am saying the same thing over and over again— ad nauseum.
And that is: “Get an honest sense of where you are in space so that you can see and feel how bad your posture is… and then change”
But change isn’t something we are wired for.
In fact, we are designed to avoid it at all costs— which doesn’t serve us well.
At the beginning of every private session or group class that I teach I ask people to stand up straight.
And once they are in that co-called straight position I show and tell them just how off their perception is.
After that, it is up to the individual to decide if changing our perception of ourselves would serve a good purpose.
This is where pain steps in to provide a great incentive.
Someone who stands and walks badly has little drive to change if their body is not giving them warning signs that something is wrong.
But pain is the ultimate warning sign. And pain is usually the only thing that will get people to look inside to understand how they need to change outside.
And change is something we need to confront in order to get out of pain and age gracefully.
It all starts with your perception of yourself in space.
To check this out stand up “straight” and have someone take a picture of you from the side.
The results might shock you.