Practice

As I end a yoga session, bringing students out of Savasana to a seated position where we connect with our breath and each other, I find this is the time where we are the most grounded and open to inquiry.  This is when all that occurred within class settles in.   While my students are putting away any props they used and rolling up their mats, I let them know that I will be at the front desk if they have any questions.  Typically, it is a time where I thank the students for coming as they are putting on their shoes, or they show gratitude towards me for teaching them for the last 60 minutes.  Sometimes one will ask the name of one of the songs I had on my playlist during class that day.  Others may ask about a specific pose and if they “did it right”. 

Last week, a student and I talked before class.  I was able to see on her registration that she was new to the studio and took the time to ask a few questions.  How long has she been practicing yoga?  Any injuries I should know about?  During class, she had good alignment.  I kept an extra eye on her as she was new but felt safe in knowing that she had good body awareness.  In fact, she had a lot of awareness of all around her.  I would see her looking at other students during class.  She would make eye contact with me as I described the next pose.  At one point, when I gave the students the option to do Crow Pose, she looked up at me (from Malasana) and then focused on the student next to her who went into a long hold of Crow.  Half the class was in Crow while the other stayed in Malasana.  This is typical as this arm balance takes time to master.

She approached me after class and said, “I have a question about something you said.  You told us ‘if it is in your practice, go ahead and move into Crow’”  I assumed she wanted to know more about how to do Crow Pose.  I was wrong.  She was focused on the word “practice”.

“What do you mean if it is in your practice?”

I explained that when I have an all-levels Vinyasa Flow class, that I offer more challenging poses to those who have been practicing yoga for some time, allowing for others to stay in the current pose.

That is not what she was asking.  She was focused on the word “practice”.  She wanted to know what “practice” meant to me.  How often I practice yoga as a student and what is the recommended amount I would suggest?

Oh boy.

Our western minds are so goal orientated – future focused….”must do in order to…”

How would I define “practice”?  Doing yoga when you are called to practice.  That call can be when you are exhilarated.  When you are tired.  When you are stiff.  When you need to wake up in the morning.  When you need to settle yourself to sleep.  When you need grounding.  When you are on a painfully long conference call (I telecommute) and you are about to lose your shit. 

I started going to a teacher-led class one a week.  That led to 2x a week, 3x a week, 4x a week.  Every morning, I practice for a minimum of 15 minutes in my living room after I stumble downstairs at 5am to start my work day – while my coffee is brewing in my French press and my computer is booting up. 

Should everyone practice that often?  No.  Each “practice” is individual.  That is the point.  Yoga is unique to each person.  It presents differently.  It is constantly changing, evolving, becoming what it needs to be for you.

The point is, do it for the love.  When you embrace what you love, it comes naturally.  Avoid the “should”…the “I must”….the “I have to”  Let your intuition guide you to where you will go.