I was driving to work the other day and thought about how grateful I am for the practice, truly grateful. I was probably late for work but had a nice practice. I practice Ashtanga Yoga and have been doing so for a number of years but only recently I have discovered that in order for me to be the person I am evolving into yoga is an important and necessary part of my life. Once you have the practice no one can take this away from you. It is yours forever and this thought calms me and make me happy. It is a balance of course and I have heard it said that your life will make room for the practice. It is not to say that this powerful practice has not cracked me open or brought out negative emotions. It has and through the years of the ebb and flow of my practice I have learned to respect it. It is a powerful practice and for something that at one time was just asana has become so much more to me. I am learning to tap into the side of the practice that comes to us somewhat unexpectedly, the spiritual side of things or the something that puts you in touch with an inner voice or inner quiet. It is a practice just to notice it and let it happen and to trust in it and have faith. It has been said that asana is not yoga but within asana there is yoga. Something to think about as we flip ourselves from one position to the next. I have found that no matter how my asana looks or feels, if there is breath and prana is developed, it is good. We have to learn to sit and breathe and find the yoga in the stillness. That takes time to feel comfortable in our bodies. This is our temple and we have only one to care for during this lifetime so we might as well pay attention to it. Practicing asana and feeling comfortable will lead us to a place where we can find the stillness and the quiet and become one with body, mind and spirit. That is the yoga I think.
Like brushing our teeth, we practice yoga. Do we take time off from brushing our teeth? I think that we would not feel right. Every day we step on the mat and inhale the arms up never knowing how the practice will go taking it one breath at time. It is not easy to step on the mat and there are certainly days when practice is different. We need to embrace the changes and learn and grow with it. Every day you work something, every day you change, feeling better and sometimes worse. Accepting that wherever you are is where you are supposed to be. It takes time and what it really takes is faith. Faith that there is something greater than all of us and trust in the process. You need the good days on the mat and the more challenging days on the mat. Bring this into your life and use the tools that you developed at the studio or your home practice with your work, with your family, in relationships and in life. I like to say that I am enjoying this journey in my practice but that it is really Every Day, Every Day to notice and participate and practice.
Eat, Breathe, Do Yoga . . . Every Day, Every Day
Deb Williams
Deb Williams is the principal of Asana House, a juice bar yoga lounge located in Montclair, NJ. She can be reached at 973-744-1500. For more information about Deb, her yoga practice, and Asana House, please email Deb at info@asanahouse or visit www.asanahouse.com
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