Two Places at Once

I recently learned that not everyone takes an observer stance or witness point of view with themselves (however frequently). For some reason, I thought everyone did this. Maybe it's a learned skill and I simply forgot that at one point, I learned to "see myself". So instead of thinking and doing, you're watching yourself think and do. You're noticing your own tendencies, patterns, reactions, etc. There's a line in the book "Yoga Nidra" that I've read over and over that says, "Look within and try to be aware of the one who is looking, who is aware of what you have been doing so far." One of the amazing things that happens when I'm on my mat is that I can simultaneously witness myself and be present (in my body) in whatever pose I am doing. It's like being two places at once (inside and out) or maybe it's more like being in your mind, body and heart all at the same time. Maybe it's like being bigger than your body and in your body at the same time. Maybe it's being an individual and part of the whole at the same time. It's a union. Hmm, that's what the word yoga means-to unite or to yolk. This is definitely a practice I take off that mat. Being grounded and present in my physical form and at the same time maintaining a bigger awareness in each moment. This is a great way to take your view from narrow to open.