Develop a stronger personal yoga practice

Now that I’ve become obsessed with roller skating, I hardly care about any other forms of physical activity. If I weren’t teaching, I wouldn’t be doing any yoga OR Pilates! Bad, naughty teacher! I know my classes are suffering. Sometimes I’m really glad I work in a gym where people don’t notice the difference so much.

I wouldn’t say the practice itself is strong, as in challenging asanas. But, the drive within me to practice is much stronger, and my commitment to spend time breathing, centering, and stretching each day is very strong now. So, a little practice each day is really happening. I figure, when my body/mind wants a strong asana, I’ll dive in. The whole point of a personal practice is that it fills my personal needs at that moment. Not to perfect a pretzel pose to impress my students.

I have been to a workshop this past weekend with Mark Whitwell, and as I had hoped, it has helped me to remember the love, joy, and clarity that yoga used to bring to my life. My mind had gotten so cluttered with the surging popularity of yoga and the associated expectations that come along with it (what a yogi should be, what a yoga teacher should be, what you should get out of practice, what poses should always be done, etc). I got so caught up in the shoulds that I didn’t want to bother with it anymore!

But through the practices and conversations this past weekend, I realize that it’s just so simple. Just a little breath and movement for the sheer joy of it – because it makes you feel good and it makes everything else in your day so much better. There’s nothing else to it! Just breathe and move and feel good and know that everything is okay. THAT is something I can get motivated to do!

My recent subscription to DirecTV just got me a free portable DVD player! So, now I can play my yoga DVD’s out in the studio when I don’t have the motivation to get out there and just make up my own practice. Yesterday I tried out Paul Grilley’s Yin Yoga hip practice after a grueling 6-1/2 mile run. It made me feel SO much better! Not only my hips, but my brain – I walked around feeling like I was on vacation the rest of the day.