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October 25, 2011

Anoesis - Word of the Day

Anoesis (as defined from Dictionary.com)
[an-oh-ee-sis]
noun
a state of mind consisting of pure sensation or emotion without cognitive content.
 
or from the Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary
 
Anoesis
consciousness that is pure passive receptiveness without understanding or intellectual organization of the materials presented.
 
Mum passed this word on to me the other day, with the comment that this is what we are trying to achieve in Savasana.  So true.

I've started noticing this feeling while I practice Ashtanga at home.  While I move and breathe through the asanas, I try to focus solely on what my body is doing.  The closest I come to thinking is counting my breaths and stretching or lengthening my body.  Anoesis doesn't necessarily last for my entire practice or Savasana but when my mind starts to wander, I come back to my breath and try to focus on my body moving.


 

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