Last week I had one of the most amazing yoga practices, despite a broken and dislocated toe! At the time I was on day 3 of a
juice fast. I had more energy than ever and felt light and full of enthusiasm.
My body felt flexible and my mind strong and focused. I honestly could have
practised for hours more if I didn’t have to go to work. When I got to work I
was so vibed, I felt incredible, full of energy and super productive.
This week however, everything changed completely. I woke up
this morning feeling like I had either been run over by a bus or had the worst
hangover ever!! I dragged myself out of my bed, had a shower and revived myself
ready for yoga practice. I thought I just need to bend and breathe a bit and
that will sort me out and knock out the virus.
On the mat, my concentration kept diverting to thoughts of a
dear family member that is terminally ill. Physically, I felt like I was
practising with a different person’s body. Every joint felt inflamed, every
muscle felt like plastic with no malleability whatsoever, my bones seemed to
hurt and my overall energy was zero. I
wearily worked my way through the standing series of Ashtanga, before opting
for some restorative poses and relaxation.
It got me thinking; Yoga is so incredibly humbling. It bridges the gap of self enquiry and helps
us to understand on a very deep level how our health is, mentally and physically,
whenever we come to the mat. Reflecting on my Buddhist studies, I realise that
we should never come to our mats (or any situation for that matter) with
expectations of being able to do this or that. Non-attachment to the outcome is
essential for us to relax and be with our experience, which is always changing moment to moment; sometimes we can climb
mountains, sometimes only mole hills. The ability to respect and honour our
capabilities at any given the time is integral to our growth and understanding
of self.
Having a regular practice, I notice the subtle differences
of my physical, emotional and mental health on a daily basis. On days where
there is a lot of mental resistance, I know this is when I am suppressing
emotions or avoiding facing up to something that will rear its ugly head should
I cut off distraction and be with my breath. Unhealthy diet choices or flights
cause chaos for my digestion and inflammation in my body. Sugar and caffeine
causes my mind to become irritated, agitated and heart rate to speed up which
makes for a challenging yoga or meditation practice. Stress holds tension in every part of my body like cement. But when my diet is right and
my world is calm, I am able to practice or sit with ease and my body is as
flexible as Plasticine.
I guess that is why a daily practice is not just a daily
workout on the mat, it’s a time to tune in and listen to what my body and mind
is telling me. By honouring my state of health in that moment I can adjust my
lifestyle choices for that day and pick the right tools to nourish me. That is
why a daily practice of some kind is so important, to cultivate that connection
and kindness to self so that we can be proactive and take responsibility for our
own health and happiness. Taking just 5-10 minutes out of your day for your own
well being, could have a more profound effect than you think. So think of this
time as a little science experiment. Make it fun, but most importantly make it
happen, and see how your attitude to your health transforms.
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