Yoga Day 497 - back to basics

My yoga practice is very basic, as is my teaching. When asked my style I usually answer, "simple yoga, no bells, no whistles, lots of breath, props and listening to the body".

In the past 500 days I have come to accept the bare necessities in ways I find liberating. In my head and heart, I feel young, vibrant and healthy most of the time but my body does not always concur!! There are indeed days when I can wrap my leg around my neck while balancing on a single arm (or something close to it) and then there are days when Savasana (relaxation) is all I can manage. I have learned to listen to my body properly and I have also learned the incredible benefit of the basics.

We humans can live a long time without food (60+ days) but we cannot survive more than 3 or 4 days without water. I see a parallel with my yoga practice; I can go weeks, months, longer, without doing Adho Mukha Vrksasana (handstand) or Natarajasana (dancer) and I do not notice any negative side effects. If I try going a week without some basic breath work, cat/cow or a seated twist I feel disconnected, I slide into gloom and people around me notice the difference.

I feel passionate about this need for basics; I share this with all my students and anyone who will listen. If you can do 3 rounds of cat/cow on a daily basis you have a stronger yoga practice than the person who shows up once a week/month for an advanced inversion class.

If you are interested in beginning a yoga practice but don't know how, or you have time and/or financial restrictions, consider the following options:

• Check out and download the short practices on this site and ask me questions.
• Find a DVD you like and can do without strain and use it daily while you are developing your yoga habit. (I used the same video for over 7 years before I was able to take "live" classes!!)
• There are good yoga books in the library; you can review them all and then buy the one you like the best.
• Find a local yoga studio that is open to trading classes for some skill you have. It may be cleaning or running the front desk for a class or two.

It doesn't matter how you get started, but please, get started. It is too late to change your yesterdays but today...NOW! is the perfect time to create your tomorrows.

Best of luck and please let me know how I can support you in any way.

Namaste.

 

Comments

[Tiffany Jewelry]

Or go to a yoga class, or do anything that relaxes you.