After all the discipline around training and planning is organized you might find it all just a touch stressful. The importance of taking time to unwind mentally and physically cannot be overlooked and should be a part of any lifestyle plan you create. Yoga is a discipline that many North Americans have already adopted but there are still many more who don’t engage in this ancient practise. For many the reasons continue to serve their constantly high strung selves.
I have heard many a person say that yoga is simply too boring (myself included in the past). Hard core athletes and other intense type people have a very difficult time with the pace of yoga. These people ( of which I was one ) simply “don’t do yoga”. For these people it may be that the real issue is an addiction to everything fast pace and the uncomfortable feeling that comes with slowing down. Engaging in a practise designed to let your mind unwind… yoga ,meditation or otherwise is chronically avoided by "go go go" people. Ironically most of us know the things we resist the most are the things will benefit from the most, yet we still avoid it.
Do you find yourself using down time to clean your house? Do you have a hard time napping? Do you have people around you all the time? When you have time to yourself do you read, walk and think or do you check email, catch up on work, and think about all the things you have to do?
I think many of us feel we cannot relax and consider down time indulgence or even lazy. We blame time while using our work a crutch to stay off our rockers in the midst of the mental miles we put in as badges of dream building North Americans. It sometimes seem to me we wear worn down and burnt out as a badge of honor. The truth is in order to remain healthy and have more time you have to know how to relax without guilt. It is a crucial lifestyle and health issue to make relaxation and self care apart of your long term health plan. Yoga is one way to do this. The great thing about yoga as it can be done anytime anywhere. Yoga mats are easy to tote and can most often fit in a travel case for on the go yoga. Yoga can be done at home with kids, at work or even in the bedroom with your hubby.
Yoga can begin as a practise you learn over time by dropping into different classes or practising on your own learning and mastering the endless postures and thier benefits in the many different types of yoga. A great place to see postures and learn more is at www.yogajournal.com and across Canada you can visit Moksha Yoga studios in various cities www.mokshayoga.com
Namaste ,
Andrea
I tried to post a comment yeterday suggusting that you start with 20 minutes if you are having are time focusing on yoga for longer periods… it gets easier!!!
You know I am glad that you mentioned to not give up on yoga. I have tried yoga in the past, only at home thru videos and I’ve just gotten frustrated because I can’t get the breathing and the movements to coincide. How important is it to get the breathing right? I did however take a yoga class, with a girlfriend…big mistake…we got into down dog pose and started into a fit of laughter and that was it for me, we actually got asked to leave…how emabarrassing. But I am much more mature now at the ripe ol age of 38, maybe it’s time to give yoga in a class another try. Would you recommend yoga in a class atmosphere or in the privacy of your home? Thank you for mentioning yoga, it might just be what I need. 🙂
Jennifer
Yoga has been awesome for me this pregnancy. It has really helped
Yoga has been awesome for me this pregnancy. It has really helped
Hey Janet
I love that you mention the attention span part…that is the hardest part for us on the go people. With practise this improves . Try starting with 20 minute sessions and see if this helps!
Good luck with your practise!!
Andrea
Yoga eh! I am to make sure I follow along for this one. I would love to just unwind, not to mention be more flexible. I have in the past purchased a few videos to do at home, but they were too advanced for me. So I bought Yoga Workout for Dummies, but I didn’t get very far because I have the attention span of a gnat. I must dust that off when I finish typing here and leave it out where I can see it and possibly even play it. Thanks
Janet
Hear, hear, Andrea! I love Yoga and other “lazy” pursuits like reading, crafts, etc. and I often feel subtly judged by others who are more “go go go”. Of course I could fill up all my spare minutes doing “productive” things, but frankly, I have so much of that already! I NEED to do things JUST FOR ME, and Yoga is one of the me-things that I love the best.