A consistent practice...

First of all, a huge leap is learning that a consistent practice doesn't necessarily mean, rolling out your mat, wearing leggings and spending an hour in asanas. 

Learning to carry your practice throughout the day and off the mat is one of the most beautiful gifts you can accept and give yourself. 

The asana practice is only one part of the practice of Yoga, we can go more into this in some future posts. Yoga is the union of the body, mind and soul. Life. So it's really got to be both on and off the mat. 

Let's try and find the time if you feel like you do not have the time. Maybe you have a HUGE to do list, maybe you are just too busy.

Take a moment now, maybe writing these things down. Next to them notice if they are excuses, necessary or maybe that even 5 minutes of stretching or stillness might actually make these tasks a little easier. 

Think about when you can practice in the day, notice your routines. Maybe it's in the morning, waking up the body. Maybe it's the evening to slow down. What can work for you? If it's the morning - prep for work the night before so you can wake up and either utilise your time more wisely or wake up just 15 minutes earlier. If it's the evening, maybe readjust your routine and do it the moment you get in from work, what's fifteen minutes to the dishes, dinner or other humans? Or what about heading up to bed 30mins early, practicing at the end of the bed.

Here's a short bed time yoga practice 

That's fitting in the physical asanas. But what am I on about off the mat. I'm not totally mad - on of the phrases that resonates with me most from the Bhagavad Gita is this - yogah karmasu kaushalam (excellence in action is yoga) - now that to me doesn't mean doing everything perfectly, it's living, moving, being consciously. Of course it's learning, it's a process but something about being present even while you wash up makes the action itself much more enjoyable. There's so many ways of bringing yoga into your life and essentially living more presently, reducing worries, fears, pain and giving freedom, peace and ultimately bliss. 

Question yourself often, allow yourself the time and if you can't find the time to practice Asanas, Pranayama or Dharma on the mat, use your life to practice! It's there, it's happening. All of our practices will look, feel and be different, keep listening inwards. 

Om shanti,

Namaste

#onesoulyoga #yoga #guidedpractices