Leaky Boat

One of the most interesting and innovative bands to come out of the Australian/New Zealand rock scene back in the 80's were called "Split Enz". Two brothers Tim and Neil Finn formed the band, wrote many hits, were hugely popular down under and eventually reformed as Crowded House (initially with Tim). What do they have to do with yoga, you might be asking? It has to do with my thought of the week and as I have been thinking about it, it reminded me of a song Split Enz had called "Six Months In A Leaky Boat".

And you're still wondering...Split Enz...yoga...leaking boats...what's the connection?

Here it is. One of the keys to any practice, including a yoga practice is consistency. Turning up time and time again on your mat, going through repeated exercises of breath, movement and awareness. It often begs the question, "how much is enough?". And that's where seepage comes in. As soon as you embark on the journey of a yoga practice, the moment you set yourself onto your mat, I believe you are forever on the journey. It is a process of unfolding, opening and growing awareness.

Even if you only practice yoga on an irregular basis, you will begin to have seepage. Some of the thoughts, ideas and practices will begin to ooze into your everyday awareness. We often procrastinate doing something because we are unable to fully commit to doing it...the all or nothing syndrome. But, once you begin to learn the tools of yoga, they begin to seep into your day.

Things such as:

1. Taking a deep breath before answering the phone.

2. Pausing before taking your first bite of a meal to inhale the aromas.
3. Thinking about your standing posture as you are waiting in line at the store or bank.
4. Allowing yourself five minutes to just sit and do nothing.
5. Recognizing when your self condemning thought is just that...a thought that can be shifted into a self supportive one.
6. Giving someone 100% of your attention when listening to them speak.
7. Feeling gratitude for someone or something.
8. Moving your body in a natural and easy way.

These are just a few simple things that can easily leak into your life. And what is the ingredient that they all have in common?

Awareness.

Obviously we do as much as we can. If we seek to dive deeper into our practice we can certainly dedicate more time to doing so. We can open the flood gates and let our practice become a way of living. But if that's overwhelming, try spending six months on a leaky mat instead...