Thursday, July 29, 2010

Meditation Post---- "Keeping Up with Yoga: Get to Class!"

This post is gifted to us by Kewal Kaur Khalsa. She is a busy, Mom, wife, teacher, and writer of her own blog, and has written for others, including Spirit Voyage. This is more about "how do we get to class to have that experience?"
Thank you Kewal Kaur!!

Keeping Up with Yoga: Get to Class!

There are plenty of yoga poses and meditations that are challenging (stretch pose gets just about anybody if it's done long enough!) but the part of attending yoga class that is the hardest for me is actually getting myself in the door. It takes schedule planning, child care negotiations, skilled timing, overcoming the end-of-day exhaustion...and even then, something unexpected pops up at the last minute. Every single time. But if I can just get my body in the yoga room then the moment always comes. We've tuned in, I'm moving and breathing and letting go of tension, and then suddenly....ahhhh. I can't help but think, "Thank God I managed to get here."

Whether the challenges are related to work, family, or just "things to do" or as simple as a distracting bag of chips ("Well, NOW I can't go to class – I have a full belly!"), yoga is still so very worth the effort (where else can you tune up your body, mind, and spirit and bliss out in just over an hour?). Luckily, there are some helpful habits that can help integrate yoga class into life.

Put it On the Calendar
Don't just hope to make it to class. Schedule it. Put in on your calendar. Plan around it as an important appointment in your day – because it is.

Make it Known
Tell the people in your life what your yoga plans are. Give advance notice, as much as possible, so they are prepared for you to be unavailable during class times. Tell them why yoga is important to you. If possible, invite their support, which can come in handy when you need some encouragement.

Practice Little Bits Throughout the Day
Take five minutes to breath deeply. Listen to mantra in your car. Do some spinal flexing in your chair. Little experiences can be great for re-centering and reminding us of the benefits of yoga. Have a little taste and you'll be more motivated to enjoy more.

Get a Yoga Buddy
Committing to attending yoga class with another person often will provide enough push to make it happen. If the other person has arranged their life and you know they are counting on you, it is a lot harder to bail out. Plus, it is nice to have someone to talk to after class, who shares the bliss and is right there with you. You can inspire each other to keep up.

These are just a few suggestions for keeping up with yoga classes. It is easy to feel motivated after yoga class, when we are enjoying the benefits. Setting up a few methods of encouragement ensures that we make it there and can get to the enjoyment part. See you at class!

Now that you know some of her tips, contact her on FB and make a date to come to class together. I expect to see you YP. No more excuses.


We here at YP are always looking for anyone to contribute to the meditation post. If you have an experience that you want to share, or any questions or comments, please feel free to email me at raisingh108@gmail.com.

Sat Nam and Keep Up!

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