As a teacher and practitioner, I value the commitment to a personal practice and often ask my students and student teachers if they commit to a personal practice. Hands down, the most common response is… “I wish I could, but I don’t have time.”
The nice thing about personal practice, however, is the freedom to make time for with whatever parameters are available. Truly, you do not need a yoga mat, a quiet atmosphere, or even a full hour to practice yoga. The essence of personal practice is about making time and space for “good”. Rather remaining attached to the normal conditions of a yoga class, let go of the usual format and get creative with your practice!
Meditation—Give yourself 5 minutes in the morning, 5 minutes in the afternoon, and 5 minutes before bed to just sit and meditate. If your joints are too stiff or your back is tired, sit in a chair or lean against a wall. Use your watch or kitchen timer.
Asana—Take time to bow to your Self in uttanasana (forward fold) from your chair at work. Stay in the forward fold for 10 long breaths, or more if you’d like. Energize in purvottanasana (reverse plank) by placing your hands your chair or desk, a great way to counter wrist and shoulder tension (use caution if you already have carpal tunnel). Take a seated twist, sit side-saddle on your chair and holding the back of the chair and arm strength to deepen the twist. Use the wall for adho mukha svanasana (down dog) or parsvottonasana (variation) to release shoulder, back, and hamstrings.
Pranayama—Practice your favorite pranayama, whenever you need to regroup. Ujjayi is always a great technique for releasing inner fire built up from stressful situations, whether it is a 3 minute Virabhadrasana III, or dealing with the boss.
Making time in your schedule and devoting sacred space for your personal practice is still important. So, try to block some time and a space in your schedule. It’s like cleaning up around the house, just in case someone special stops by. So that, when a special guest shows up, and we’ll call this guest “Truth”, we are ready to invite them in and we have time to listen. But, you can practice your cleaning skills (or kriya) throughout the day in small increments, if your schedule didn’t permit the full white-glove detailing!
"Transcend the Mat, Transform your Life!"
Namaste,
Valerie Baltzer, E-RYT 500
www.transcendingyoga.com
