Personal Practice

When I first began practicing yoga, I'd show up to the class, do the practice and then leave. At the time, that seemed to be meeting what I needed and expected from attending. I wouldn't necessarily leave the class with a precious nugget that I was going to install in my next week of intentional growth. I would reflect on the class largely because of the sore or aching muscles reminding me of the previous. I saw my practice as the time I spent on my rectangular rubber mat. Yet, something somewhat buried within was asking for more...it had been beckoning for quite some time to seek something meaningful, even spiritual in life, but I was yet to discover what that calling was. Well, the call was answered during my training to become a yoga teacher. We began to look at the ancient history and philosophy that much of yoga had as its foundation and it was during this time that the switch was flipped...This is what I had been looking for! A way to connect to something deeper, yet practical, that would give me better skills at coping with my life.

It was at this time that the idea of a personal practice took root. I knew I wanted to live from a compassionate perspective as a way of being in the world, and not just when I was on the mat. In adopting a yogic lifestyle, I now see that the entire world is my yoga mat. The practice is carried within (embodied) and not defined by where it's undertaken. If you want to read more about embodiment, check out last week's blog by clicking here.

A personal practice is what we do once we leave the larger environment of the class. It's our solo journey through inner space. And it's completely personal, custom built by ourselves based on what feels right in our life in that moment. I have no idea as to what your personal practice should look like, but I can tell you what's worked for me and offer some guidance, but that's about as far as it goes. It's something that we need to uncover for ourselves and it can look completely different from someone else's practice.

This week I've been asking the questions: Do you have a personal practice? If not, do you want one? And if yes, what does it look like?

People have answered in a few different ways about what their personal practice looks like ranging from "finding present moment awareness", to "being flexible in how it can look each day", and to "making a consistent commitment to some aspect of it". Does it need to include yoga poses (asana)? I don't think so...it can, but that's not what constitutes it being a practice. It might be something as singular as being kind. Kinder to ourselves, to each other, and perhaps kinder to the planet. And if that's the case, what does that look like in practical terms? We've been repeating affirming statements that connect us to the present moment and to our practice this past week. These can be repeated if we find ourselves wanting to come back to center or having self-talk that is less than loving.

I love my body and trust its wisdom.

I'm always safe at the center of my being.

I peacefully detach from negativity.

So, if you lack clarity as to where to build a stronger personal practice, start here in the repetition of one of the above statements, slow down, and pay attention to what's happening in the present moment. Perhaps set an intention of a daily connection to it and see where it takes you.

Having come from a sports science and fitness background, I came across many people who were 23-hour couch potatoes. They'd spend an hour at the gym and be sedentary for the remainder of the day and would wonder why their health goals were seemingly out of reach. By building a personal practice, we can connect to our practice through mindfulness and intention and perhaps, begin to see the whole world as our own private yoga studio. Are you ready to begin?