Category:

Almost...

8/30/2011

My challenge officially comes to a close tomorrow. And I have lots of sore muscles and a few new discoveries in my practice to show for it.

few observations from my month of consistent practice. To start if off, here's a quote that stuck out to me over and over though out this month:

"Some days are diamonds and some days are just stones"

There were days, as are there always, where down dog felt like a struggle. In those moments of struggle I realized, I have a choice. We ALWAYS have a choice. If down dog wasn't serving me in that moment, what movement was? Even if that meant skipping out on what the rest of what a public class was doing - no one minded if I flopped onto my back and started rolling around. In fact by living in my present moment, respecting the needs of my body - hopefully that will encourage anyone else to do right by themselves who might be searching for that permission.

As a yoga teacher, I firmly believe that incorporating a steady practice can and will benefit your life for the better. That being said, even after embarking on this challenge, that I would be lying in bed trying to go to sleep and realize that I hadn't "practiced." For the purposes of this month, I went ahead and did some chill out in bed (or on couch) yoga. Supta Virasana or Viparita Kirani being the two favorites. One thing that yoga does whether you like it or not, it opens you. It opens muscles of course, but also it opens your subtle body, your hidden most feelings and desires and failures. All of that can and will someday come pouring out on your mat... and to be honest... there are some days where I just couldn't deal with the possible unraveling of myself. And that's okay. While this avoidance isn't advisable long term... it's okay to let something marinate and to not release it just because you don't want to. That's your choice. But know why you are making it. And remember that your problems will be there waiting for you with or without practice, so someday you might need to "bite the bullet" so to speak, and face those feelings and start to unravel some of the knots of your subtle body.

In that same breath - yoga doesn't solve everything. It simply gives you the tools to ride out the waves that life hands to you. Yoga will not increase your paycheck, get your roommate to finally clean the bathroom, keep your boss from aggravating you, stop your mom, dad, brother, sister, boyfriend, or girlfriend from nagging you about that one thing that just sets you off. But what it will do, is give you the tools of awareness and breath to guide you through those experiences. No one is perfect and we all can, and will, react to things with displeasure when they happen, but yoga can give you that chance - that chance of a second breath to realize while you have no means to control the actions of others, you can and are more than able to control your own actions.

Yoga is more than asana. While asana (the physical expression of yoga poses) is what brought me to this practice, as it does so many of us, yoga is anything you want it to be - it is bringing your breath, body and mind into harmony. And, as I briefly touched on, sometimes "yoga" needs to be the exact opposite of asana. Sometimes it is just sitting and appreciating your breath, letting the melting pot of this world continue to swirl around you without your hand in the proverbial pot.

Lastly, and probably the most important thing I am taking away from this experience, is that a practice can be anything you choose it to be. You do not need to practice 90, 60, 30, or even 15 minutes for it to count. If swinging your legs over the edge of your couch for 5 minutes calms your mind and deepens your breath... that's a practice. Anything that brings you closer to your authentic Self, the Self that is there despite of any external expectations or illusions that might be present in everyday society, is a practice. Above all I hope this is the one thing I take away from this experiment, and if anything I hope it can serve helpful to any readers out there. A yoga practice needn't be long or particularly difficult, or even effort-full. It is something you absolutely can incorporate into your life with minimal time and dollop of presence of mind and effort to do so.

Even as this month closes, and thus completes my challenge, it is my goal to continue to post here photos, stories or any other little something that comes up as I continue to maintain a practice on a daily level. Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions, comments or suggestions as I move forward with this blog. I appreciate your reading and wish you nothing but light and love.

xxx.

5 Comments

August Yoga Challenge

7/31/2011

2 Comments

Hey yogis!

Over the last few months a few friends of mine have taken it upon themselves to do a 30-classes in 30-days sort of yoga challenge. I have always been intrigued and a little in awe over their incredible dedication but I never chose to partake in one myself. Part of my concern for "30 classes in 30 days" doesn't account for my physical and emotional time needed to chill after a particularly strong practice or even just the plan lazies, when going out of the house seems more monumental than one could bear. Because let's face it, we're all human, there are some days that all you want to do is sit on the couch and watch a Law and Order: SVU marathon... or is that just me?

So here is my twist on this little experiment: what if it's not a class every day but a practice every day for the entire month of August? I know what you are thinking - you are a yoga teacher... don't you practice everyday already? And for me, the answer is a bit in the gray area between yes and no. Yes, yoga is on my mind every single day. There is a point during my day that I am thoughtful about my breath (pranayama), and some sort of physical (asana) practice comes out whether I mean for it to or not. That all being said, for the sake of this "challenge" I am going to turn things up a notch.

The Outline:

For the month of August I will practice some form of asana whether that be attending a public class or creating a practice in my home. The practices, depending on my physical and emotional body will vary from something quick and utilitarian such as 5 Surya Namaskar A's and 5 Surya Namarskar B's and a cool down, to a more lengthy and drawn out yin sequence. I will keep track of my classes and report back on the challenges and successes on my experiment.

So What?

My hope is that this will encourage my students, friends, and complete strangers that yoga doesn't need to be a planned out activity, or even something you need to strive to attain - yoga can and will happen anytime and in any space you make for it.

So starting tomorrow, August 1st, I will start this experiment and document it along the way - check back often for ideas on how to incorporate yoga into your daily life. In the meantime, feel free to send me any questions, comments or even advice you might have on what you would like to see incorporated into this challenge.

With light and love,

Kate

2 Comments

Almost...

August Yoga Challenge

Kate Heffernan

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