Over the summer I discovered this fantastic website YogaGlo, through noted (and fabulous) yoga teacher Kathryn Budig. For the price of one drop in class in Boston, I can stream unlimited classes monthly online, with various awesome West Coast teachers, from varied traditions. At this point in my life, it's far more economical to do my personal practice this way, and I don't have to find child care to get to a studio for an external input.
In June I made an attempt to commit to a daily yoga practice. Note I said attempt...
In October, Glo put out a 30:30 challenge - 30 classes, 30 days. Even if the class was 5 minutes of meditation. I made 18 of those days, I got sick mid-month, and there were some days where life just got the best of me. This month, I've continued this quest to create the habit of Daily Practice. And as of today, the 18th, I've missed two days. Not bad... This month I've counted teaching as practice, and haven't made a minimum time for practice. Next month I think I'll up the ante, and aim for a minimum of 30 minutes practice, and a personal practice on teaching days.
What's been most interesting to me during this time though, has been simply observing the fluctuations in my practice in response to my life, my 'comfort food' practices, and what is really challenging to me. Bridger's daily rhythm hasn't really allowed for me to adopt an early practice; I'd need to be done by 5:30 most days. I've tried where possible to practice during his erratic nap-times, but most days I end up doing an evening practice. Which means I typically practice on low energy. My instinct is to do a sweaty athletic vinyasa flow, but some nights I just don't have it in me. So I've been doing some quieter, more yin practices, and once-weekly meditation. And I've re-learned about myself in the process. I hate being still. I love being 'busy'. Even on my mat.
This re-discovery has been a gift. The intensity of a yang practice, my breath working like bellows stoking inner fire drowned out the monkey-mind chatter. In a quiet practice the mental mastication is deafening. I chew, re-chew, regurgitate thoughts, past conversations, conversations not yet had, muse about life, love, the garbage, what's next for tomorrow, my hangnail, you name it.
The last lesson my practice taught me is the asana you hate most is probably the one you need to hang out with. Until you make friends with it. I suppose it applies to style of practice too...
And the observation continues.
* I have not been compensated in anyway by YogaGlo - my opinion here only! *
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