I challenged myself in Day 6 by opting to do my yoga practice during 'siesta' time. Typically between the hours of 2pm and 4pm I have zero energy. Back in the days when I was teaching in the classroom, I dreaded a schedule where I taught classes toward the end of the school day. My mind is slower, my body feels more exhausted and my energy levels wane in the hours between lunch time and the end of the work day. It definitely is not the ideal time to do a yoga practice - at least not for me.
However, as I am preparing for the trip to India where I will be practicing yoga asana at various times of the day for a month straight, I thought it might be a good idea to get out of my yoga-in-the-morning & -late-morning habit.
What a challenge it was to just get the mat rolled out! Each time I thought to get started, that little voice in my head kept repeating, "C'mon Julie, let's go make a cup of tea and just sit down for 5 more minutes." With promises to myself of a reward of a cuppa if I just got though my daily practice, I rolled out my mat and got started.
I made a concerted effort to incorporate the cues I learned in the Ashtanga practice on Saturday which got my hamstrings and quads working much harder. That allowed my lower back to take a well-deserved break. It also helped to engage and strengthen those deeper core muscles that always seem to want to just sit back and take a nap when I'm doing any sort of physical activity. As I moved through the practice, I felt my energy levels rise and my mood lift.
By the time I finished the session, I was feeling great! I no longer wanted or needed a cup of tea to give me that late day caffeine pick-me-up and I found I had the energy to prepare a super delicious and healthy dinner.
On Day 7 I continued to get out of my comfort zone by practicing a little later in the day. This time I had spent all day marking exam papers so by half past five in the evening I was ready to move my body and stretch. No promises of tea rewards needed to get on my mat today!
So, I'm just about half-way finished with this particular challenge and I'm enjoying the changes it brings to both my mind and my body, not to mention my spirit. I'm beginning to feel more comfortable about not going 100% into every posture and just allowing my body to lead the way, rather than allowing my ego to tell me what I should be doing.
So much of yoga is about letting go: letting go of the past, letting go of the need to worry about the future, letting go of preconceived notions we have about ourselves and our bodies and especially letting go of our egos.
I'm not the perfect yogi, nor am I the perfect yoga teacher and through my practice I'm learning to let go of the desire to be the perfect anything.
I am enough as I am.
However, as I am preparing for the trip to India where I will be practicing yoga asana at various times of the day for a month straight, I thought it might be a good idea to get out of my yoga-in-the-morning & -late-morning habit.
What a challenge it was to just get the mat rolled out! Each time I thought to get started, that little voice in my head kept repeating, "C'mon Julie, let's go make a cup of tea and just sit down for 5 more minutes." With promises to myself of a reward of a cuppa if I just got though my daily practice, I rolled out my mat and got started.
I made a concerted effort to incorporate the cues I learned in the Ashtanga practice on Saturday which got my hamstrings and quads working much harder. That allowed my lower back to take a well-deserved break. It also helped to engage and strengthen those deeper core muscles that always seem to want to just sit back and take a nap when I'm doing any sort of physical activity. As I moved through the practice, I felt my energy levels rise and my mood lift.
By the time I finished the session, I was feeling great! I no longer wanted or needed a cup of tea to give me that late day caffeine pick-me-up and I found I had the energy to prepare a super delicious and healthy dinner.
On Day 7 I continued to get out of my comfort zone by practicing a little later in the day. This time I had spent all day marking exam papers so by half past five in the evening I was ready to move my body and stretch. No promises of tea rewards needed to get on my mat today!
So, I'm just about half-way finished with this particular challenge and I'm enjoying the changes it brings to both my mind and my body, not to mention my spirit. I'm beginning to feel more comfortable about not going 100% into every posture and just allowing my body to lead the way, rather than allowing my ego to tell me what I should be doing.
So much of yoga is about letting go: letting go of the past, letting go of the need to worry about the future, letting go of preconceived notions we have about ourselves and our bodies and especially letting go of our egos.
I'm not the perfect yogi, nor am I the perfect yoga teacher and through my practice I'm learning to let go of the desire to be the perfect anything.
I am enough as I am.
