Day 1
Over the past several months my personal yoga practice has waned. Whether it has been due to a tighter schedule, a desire to devote more time to my artwork or just feeling tired and achy, lately I seem to be able to find all sorts of reasons to leave my mat rolled up in a corner of the room to gather dust.
I still practice a once or twice per week with Liberty of Urban Yoga at HAPI or swing yoga with Deena, do pilates at The Hundred with Hened and Walid and continue to swim 2 days per week with Speedo Swim Squad but for whatever reason, I just could not motivate myself to devote regular time to yoga asana.
As a yoga teacher, I feel a sense of guilt and even hypocrisy not practicing asana at least 5 times per week. The other day I swear I saw my yoga mat roll her eyes at me as if to say, "And you call yourself a yoga teacher?" Last week during a conversation with a woman who was describing her 97 year-old mother who still lives independently and walks everyday, she quoted her mother as saying, "If you don't use it, you lose it!"
With that phrase echoing in my head and the realization that I will be heading to Rishikesh, India next month to complete a 300-hour advanced yoga teacher training course at Shiva Yoga Peeth, I was motivated to finally dust off the mat and give myself the kick-in-the-backside-asana. I'm a goal oriented person so being able to set even a small goal is an effective way for me to start good habits. I have used Do Yoga With Me in the past and they now have 14-day and 21-day yoga challenges so I thought, why not? It is a donation-based website so you can stream classes for free or chose to donate. You can also pay to download classes and take them with you, which is great when you're traveling.
I've just finished Day 1 of the 14-day challenge with Fiji McAlpine leading the class. She has such a great way of giving cues and information and a really soothing voice. The practice was a very manageable 45 minutes but I must humbly admit that there were many times when I retreated to child's pose rather than do what Fiji was prompting me to do. But then again, yoga is not about keeping up with the instructor or with the other people in class, is it? It's about listening to your body, understanding what your body and mind need even if that is in conflict with what the ego wants. Now after that brief yet challenging first day, I find my yoga mat covered in hard-earned sweat, instead of dust. If she could, I think my mat might give me a 'high five.'
I'm looking forward to Day 2!
Want to join me in this challenge? Check out www.doyogawithme.com and go to the 14-day challenge. If you don't use it, you'll lose it!
