How can we integrate our Yoga practice into the rest of our lives little by little?
We want the benefits of a Yoga practice. We know these benefits are physical, emotional, and spiritual. And we know that the only way we will get these benefits is by discipline and actually doing it. But still, we are often reluctant to do so.
Ideally, we need to roll out our mats each day, take a little bit of time for ourselves, breathe, exert ourselves and flow. But then we need to take this into the rest of the world with us, off the mat.
Mindfulness is a simple concept. But practicing it throughout every activity in our day-to-day lives is not always as simple.
But how can we bring the stillness and peace of mind from our Yoga practice into the chaos that infiltrates our everyday lives?
Yoga teaches us to focus our mind and be present. When we meditate or practice Yoga or mindfulness, we get those glorious minutes where we can just be still, breathe and remember our divine consciousness.
But it is not always so easy once we move out of that sacred little space. However, there is something very beautiful about this simplicity.
It is possible to call upon this simplicity in the rest of our lives. It just takes awareness. We know it exists and we know it is important, but we need to be able to recognize that stillness that exists deep within us.
That is why a regular meditation practice is so important alongside just physical Yoga practices. When I say Yoga, I don’t just mean bending and stretching and turning ourselves into pretzels. I mean the actual practice of Yoga that has been passed down through the ages, which encompasses so much more.
For many of us, even after a Yoga class or meditation, we have that short period where we feel fulfilled and peaceful. Where we can hold back the future and the past, and simply stay in the present moment.
But what about the rest of the day?
Meditation is intended to transform the rest of our lives as well. I include meditation as part of a Yoga practice here because, in reality, it truly is.
If we can begin to cultivate mindfulness in our everyday activities, this feeling of peace will go on and on, until it is eventually all we know. Just taking a moment to recall that peaceful feeling during daily activities, such as driving to work, taking a shower, or doing the dishes, can bring back that peacefulness and awareness that Yoga helps us to call upon.
The next time you are doing some mundane activity, maybe it is filling up the bathtub, bring your full attention to it. Watch the water pour out.
Focus on the sensation and the temperature of the water as you test how hot it might be. Notice what is involved. What senses are required to feel these things, to see these things, to be aware of these things?
Now just observe every little detail that you can find from what is going on.
Just look deep inside yourself to see how you feel from this simple little activity. I bet you feel a lot calmer and more peaceful; a little inkling of what your Yoga practice gives you.
Notice how this makes the mind still and focused, and a completely changes this activity into an experience you had never thought about before. If you focus all of your awareness on what you are doing and how you are performing an action, then you are gracing it with your Divine energy.
The action becomes the intention, and vice versa. Obviously, this is very simple. But after you’ve tried it in a simple, quiet setting, try it somewhere more chaotic – like sitting in traffic or a shopping mall, or at work.
This helps remind us of the beauty of the present moment and transforms everything into contemplation and eventually meditation.
This is a truly perfect place to be.
