Authentic Yoga Practice

You just finished the movement portion of your, asana, practice. It was a good one. You got sweating, maybe? You got out of your head for a little bit and took the time to breathe deeper or motivate the body. You lay in savasana, corpse pose, and think, I would have loved two more poses or another hour.

Well, you can have it, two more poses or another hour. You really can. You might be busy. You might, quite literally, have just jumped right up off your mat right now to get back to your children or mate or work that is waiting at home. But you can have yoga anywhere. The great thing about yoga is that it does not have to be super lengthy to be effective.

I know, it is nice to stay in the mellow space of a class, if you can. It's nice to have your teacher nearby. However, if you can’t stay, then go forward. Come back to your practice throughout the day. Check in periodically. One does not need to stay in one place to fill the container or to access it. All of your practice travels with you. All is within you.

Here are a few things that you can do to carry your authentic practice forward with you off the mat.

1. Find your practice everywhere. While I clean the kitchen or cook dinner, I like to remind myself that I can fold  into my uttanasana, forward fold, to get the pot, or that I can sit in my utkatasana, chair, as I wipe the counter. I can lunge into my legs as I stir the pot of food. Play with the variations that you can find as you move about your house, your office space, your day. There is time as you stand in the line at the grocery store for at least one vkrasana, tree pose, on both legs. No one's looking anyway!

2. Focus on your breath. Breathing well is one of the most important parts of our yoga practice. Take the time to fill the whole body from bottom to top. When people say take a deep breath in, know that they DO NOT mean siphon all the air you can into your upper lungs. They mean, breath air into your diaphragm, lower lungs, the lungs of your backbody and then your upper lungs. And, be sure to exhale just as fully. Feel a consistent and focused exhale. Let your belly meet your spine as you squeeze the air out on the bottom of the exhale. There are many paranayam (breathwork) techniques to help you. To get you started, here is one to make yourself familiar with, Ujjayi breath.  

3. Meditate. Though many people like the idea of sitting for hours. You can sit for a shorter period of time and reap many benefits. The benefit of slowing down for five minutes to ease the mind and body and ultimately the spirit in meditation is a great place to start. As Paramahansa Yogananda says: “To meditate a short time with depth is better than to meditate for long hours with the mind running wild.In the beginning, therefore, don’t force yourself to sit for a long time. Strive for shorter, but deeper, meditations. Then gradually, as you become accustomed to going deep, lengthen the time you sit in meditation.”

4. Be kind! Say nice things to yourself and to others. Think kind and loving thoughts. When thoughts arise that are not of your loving soul, dispense of them by focusing your attention on something that IS loving. Though the thought may be true, find another one that is closer to your compassion and empathy. Forgive those that trespass against you, even yourself. Think and act from a place of love as much as you can. Bring the truth of you out in the ways you interact with yourself and others. Be your yoga in thought and action.

Know that you will and can come back to your practice. It is yours, and it travels with you throughout the day.  Use your time off the mat to live your yoga authentically. Use your time on the mat to cultivate it.