“For the next 60 minutes, it’s just you and your mat”

This is a phrase that is often spoken at the beginning of a routine yoga session. I failed to realize how indicative this phrase could be to everyday life. This morning I returned to “the hot room” for a 60-minute session and had a revelation that I wanted to share….

I realized that most of my toughest yoga sessions are difficult because of two reasons;

#1 OUT OF PRACTICE

We are human beings that operate from a heartbeat, your heartbeat has a rhythm to it and works on a cycle. If the cycle is broken and the rhythm is altered, it sends malfunction signals to the rest of your body. And that’s when things start to break down.  

My question to you is; Which of your disciplines have you neglected that has caused you to operate out of rhythm? For me it was yoga. Yoga teaches me to keep my feet rooted on something solid, something unmovable. Most of my balance issues are because I am not holding tight to my mat, and most of my weaknesses in postures are because I am not breathing through painful positions. Yoga slows me down from the daily rat race and forces me to give one hour of my day to self. Self Love is a necessity. Yoga also pushes me outside of my comfort zone and that’s where I come face to face with areas that need my attention.

#2 DISTRACTED

The athlete in me wants to compete with the person on the mat next to me. The problem with that is, when I focus on them, I lose my balance. Sometimes there are so many people in the room, it is hard not to touch the person next to you. But the focus should remain between you and your mat.

Are there distractions in your life that has forced you to lose sight of your goal? We often get caught up in meeting quotas and preparing for the next opponent, and we forget about the most important relationship; the relationship with yourself. If we are off center, out of balance, or out of rhythm, much of what we will attempt to do won’t work. As much as we try to fight for our dreams, it sometimes feels as if we are walking through quick sand. May I suggest to you, check your daily habits and disciplines. Perhaps you are busy working for someone else and have neglected time with YOU.

What are you plugged into?

What feeds you?

Who is fanning your flames?

~ EB