I may be committing heresy on a yoga blog, but my message today is yoga in moderation.
Hear me out before you question my commitment and maybe my sense—it’s not #yogaeverydamnday in my book, but #yogayourbestway.
We practice yoga when we live life (yogically!)
You see I’m a Mom, and I work (almost full-time). I’m a wife, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, blogger, writer, and the list goes on. I imagine your list is pretty long too.
I have a goal to ‘practice’ yoga every day, and by that, I mean attending classes as often as I can (I aim for four to five times a week), meditating as often as I can (I try for 20 minutes most days), being mindful (I aim for that as often as I can) and breathing (100 percent committed, full-time)!
I try to embody yogic principles every day, but hey, I get snappy and grouchy, lazy and petty. I don’t always eat clean and lean, and I definitely drink wine. All of this is of course perfectly normal.
If yoga is self-care, then the last thing you need to do is obsess about it. ~Kathy Kruger
Yoga is an important part of my self-care—that’s how I see it. It’s not all I do to care for myself, but it’s definitely more important than new shoes and an occasional massage.
It’s a physical practice and a spiritual journey, but mostly it’s about making me the best person I can be: for myself, my loved ones, and well, the world (schmaltzy, I know).
But I observe people obsessing about ‘doing’ yoga, and I have to watch myself sometimes—is yoga as self-care more important than playing with the kids, calling a friend, catching a movie, talking to hubby, or even sex (with hubby)?
Caring for ourselves (and others) is about being a whole, giving person. Sadly, it is entirely possible to forget that moderation matters, and to get self-absorbed in our own space, in our own sweat on a yoga mat, and that ain’t yogic.
There’s so many ways to practice, yet so little time.
So I try to practice living like a yogi by loving my kids and listening to my husband, by loving my husband and listening to my kids. I try to embody yoga by being a good friend, volunteering, making a nice meal for others to enjoy, supporting good causes, and writing words I hope will inspire others.
We can live yoga by helping, teaching, painting, writing, advocating, and meditating. We need to make time for those that matter, not just the mat.
So if #yogaeverydamnday is not working out for you, why don’t we make it #yogayourbestway and #ayogadayisanawesomeday? And #yogaeverybeautifulday, if you can manage it.
