Take it off the mat reversed
Hello yogis!
We are starting our Lotus Yoga Off The Mat challenge with a BIG question: How does yoga energize you?
Lately, I’ve been sluggish. I feel more tired than usual, and honestly, completely beaten down by the daily demands of my life. The result is a lack of motivation to do my yoga practice.
Struggling now with doing yoga ON the mat, I had the idea to reverse this “off the mat” concept and take the philosophies I’ve taken off the mat to get me back on it!
I know in my brain that activity promotes more activity, but when you are just too tired, it’s hard to do the work to get the benefit. I mean, really! The mornings are rushed and by the time I get home at the end of the day, I’m too tired to promote any kind of activity.
But finally I had a little talk with myself.
“Self”, I said, “just put those yoga pants on and just sit on the mat.”
This was a kind of trick. I didn’t say I would DO any yoga asanas, just sit on the mat.
So I put on my yoga clothes, set up my computer with some relaxing, but energizing music, and sat. First I just sat, then I began to move with my breath –arms up with breath in, hands in prayer position with breath out. Then a few side stretches. Then some forward bends. Down on my back, I stretched out my sides with knees to chest, then down to one side, then the other. Legs up in the air, stretch assisted with a strap.
Hmmm. This is kind of nice!
I rolled over and lifted into cobra, then child’s pose. Ahhh, release of some of that tension. Up to downward dog. My ribcage opened. Breath out. A piece of fatigue fell out of my body. One lunge, then the other. Breath warmed me from the inside out. I wanted to stand in mountain pose, so I followed my desire. “Hey! I can do this daily grind thing!”
Another piece of fatigue fell from my bones.
With that renewed confidence, I took on the warrior poses and assumed the attitude of victory in my mindset to match the movements of my body. “Yes! I am able!”
As I closed my “just sit” command, I felt the release of refusal drain from me; I noticed that I was welcoming a new energy.
This is my story of how yoga energizes me. How about you?
Leave a comment below and share your experiences with yoga and energy.
Namaste
