Mindfulness in the Morning
In college I started literally rolling out of bed to do yoga. I would lay my mat out beside my bed at night and the second my alarm went off in the morning, without giving myself a chance to think, I would get on my mat. I’d flow through a few (sometimes very) slow and gentle sun salutations, most of the time with my eyes still closed, and the movement and breath would awaken me. I started loving the feeling of being woken up in my body, rather than just the nagging of my mind and alarm clock. After finishing these practices I would feel centered, warmed, calmed and ready for my day.
As the years have gone by my mat is no longer placed beside my bed at night, but my morning practice has continued to grow. I practice with others twice a week and I’ve added meditation and pranayama to that sacred time. Starting the day with asana helps me wake up enough in the body so that I can, at least for a moment, curb the daily rush of the mind.
Practicing first thing in the morning also ensures that I won’t miss it in my day. Since pretty much no matter what I have to get out of bed each day, dedicating those first moments to yoga means I am less likely to put my practice off for any number of reasons that may come up later on. Morning practice is when I set my intention for the day. I don’t recall a time when I’ve left my mat thinking, “I wish I hadn’t done yoga” so when I start my day with it I am setting myself up for a more mindful and connected day.
When and where do you like to practice? I encourage you to consider establishing whatever sacred time, space, or place that works for you and keeps you coming back to your mat.
Namaste.
Interested in starting a morning routine yourself? Join me for the Sunrise Yoga Challenge!
Here are mixes I've created to help motivate your morning practice!
The one thing I DIDN'T learn during YTT
After 10 yoga-packed weekends of asana, assists, pranayama, and practice (plus endless hours of studying, observing, and teaching in between) I’m officially a 200-hour certified yoga teacher! I couldn’t be more proud of myself and yet; I still don’t have it all figured out.
Throughout YTT I learned so much about so many aspects of yoga, my teaching, my practice, and myself. I had hopes going in to it that it would all ‘click’ once I finished this training, I’d feel completely equipped and self-assured, but to be honest, sometimes I still feel like a fraud. I don’t have all the answers to anatomy questions, sometimes I miss-cue in class or forget the Sanskrit terms, I still don’t meditate everyday, and the list goes on, BUT something that my teachers kept saying certainly rings true, “you’re learning more than you think you are.” I’ve learned that it’s not about how much I can memorize, but how I can apply what I DO know in my practice and my teaching. I’m learning every day just by existing and being myself, and from there I can teach with an authenticity and awareness, because I am an authority on my own experience.
So, it’s not so much that I didn’t learn something during YTT, but I realized that I don’t really need to know it all just yet, or maybe ever for that matter. With thanks to my teachers and their teachers before them, here’s to a lifetime of learning and never knowing it all. Namaste.
Scheduling Overload….‘but I want to do all the fun things’
Sometimes my schedule weighs me down. I put too much on my plate and am left feeling drained, irritable, and sometimes even unable to actually enjoy the accomplishments, opportunities, activities or what have you. Rushed and worn out feelings are certainly not my intention when I’m adding another thing to my calendar, so I’m constantly striving to find balance.
When it comes to managing time and priorities; I’ve found it useful to consider it in the same way I think about balanced eating. When I’m feeling spread too thin, there are a couple things I do to work towards a healthier schedule.
• Filling or Draining? Just like over indulging on food, planning excess is draining, and oftentimes not super beneficial. Looking at an opportunity and assessing how it can be filling and enhancing, to my life and the lives around me, helps me draw positivity in to situations even when they are difficult. In addition, when there are a lot of different directions I’m being pulled it is important for me to prioritize my own well-being. Taking time to ‘re-fuel’ is key in ensuring that I’m able to make good decisions on how I spend my time and also to be able to truly enjoy that time when spent.
• Quality over Quantity Rather than just enjoying a good thing, I frequently find myself trying to do it all (hello, back-to-back-to-back ‘fun’ plans on the weekend). I tell myself, ‘but it’s all good things’ and then I end up rushed and not fully present. I realize that while all the opportunities could bring me joy, if I’m in my head on something else or just stopping through, I’m not fully experiencing it anyways. I want to have high-quality interactions and experiences, not just quick, shallow passes.
• Keeping Tabs My body usually starts sending me signs when I’m on the verge of overload, and I’m getting better at noticing. Cues such as restlessness, staying up too late, avoiding tasks, and eating poorly are all signs for me to take a step back before I get too overwhelmed. Keeping tabs helps me find balance but when I’m experiencing all of the above, I try to curb anxiety by focusing on the ‘filling’ things, so I can rejuvenate and calm down.
• Enjoy the Moment I alluded to this already but most importantly I really just need to slow down and enjoy the moment. We’ve only got so many moments to live; we owe it to ourselves to be in them. I do well when I ensure I have unscheduled time too. Surprise experiences can be the best experiences. And of course, making sure I’ve got some fixed ‘nothing’ time on my calendar.
Hopefully the next time you’re on the verge of overload you can take a step back and try and find a balanced way to move forward. Managing time and priorities is a constant demand, so it’s important to find ways that work for you. And of course remind yourself that you’re not alone, I’m probably having to take a step back too.