yoga for you, you crazy busy thang

Vacation Day
A yogi friend of mine recently, caringly admonished me to “take the day off when it’s your day off.” We were talking about the days we don’t teach, work, or have any commitments. The days we really, truly, have the day off. She argued that we should take a break from our morning yoga practice on those days, too.

No Way
I argued that no way, no how, didn’t matter what other points were made or what happens in the day, my morning practice stays. I don’t do it because I feel I should. I don’t do it because I think I have to because I’m a yoga teacher. I do it because I love it. Because no matter what I, or the universe, have planned for that day, when I practice in the morning that day is going to be a heckuva lot better than if I hadn’t.

Strapped-for-Time Yoga
But what if you really, truly, are strapped for time? (First off, take a note from breath master Max Strom’s new book–coming out this April–and ask yourself: can you practice yoga instead of watching TV?)

If you really, truly are, here’s some tips:
– Forget the idea that a yoga practice needs to be any longer than 7 minutes. Just ask Mark Whitwell.
– Do your yoga while eating breakfast. Yup, just watch this vid of Thich Nhat Hanh. He does yoga while eating all the time.
– Do a walking meditation on your way to work. Try saying the mantra “Sa, Ta, Na, Ma” as you press the tip of each finger to the tip of your thumb. Or simply draw your attention to one of your senses at a time.
– Let the noise around you calm you. No, really. Let it become what you focus on completely. It will take you out of your head.
– Practice mindfulness at work. One thing at a time. Less IMing. Less email checking. Focus.

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