Physical Yoga is not the end goal – your life is.
How many times have I heard yoga teachers, students or myself say: I know, I should practice more. I know, I should have a more regular daily practice.
To all the yoga teachers, students, yogis, world out there: You don’t have to do Yoga practices because others do. Because other teachers practice more. Because you are supposed to. Because the scriptures said so. Because your teacher said so. Because you feel guilty if you don’t.
Stop the guilt, stop the blame. To stop and do nothing is also a yoga exercise. Don’t let Yoga use you, make it useful for you.
Don’t let it master you, you master it. Don’t let it stress you, let it be a stress-relief.
It is a gift, with so many tools, for you to use wisely, according to your free will.
It cannot become a prison for you. It shall give you freedom.
Your practice cannot become an addiction or dependence either. Practice abstinence from your physical practice to not get attached to it. This is all part of your complete learning about Yoga.
So do your practice, in whatever way, because you feel like it. Because you need it. Because it brings you joy and pleasure. Because some parts of you need specific attention. Because you know and truly understand how much better you feel afterwards. Because you know from experience how beneficial it is.
Don’t feel guilty because you don’t practice a full physical series daily. Practice because you and your body, mind or soul need it, on your own unique rhythm.
Every day is different. No day is the same. We are not linear, but cyclic beings. Time is not linear, but happens in cycles. Our individual states and needs are influenced by our personal story and habits, our personal astrology, our chakra cycles, our bio-rhythms, our hormonal cycles, the moon cycles, all the planet's trajectories, the people we live with, and endless other factors.
Training that awareness and respect of your own unique needs is your Yoga practice. Every posture of the mind is a practice. Yoga is about seeing and becoming ever more aware of our different layers of ourselves, and mastering our unconscious fluctuations of the mind.
Keep remembering simply that your "Should or Shouldn'ts" are here to guide you to where you are going to feel good and joyful, never the opposite. Your soul guiding system is giving you clear indications. It is our lesson to learn, listen and tune in, to understand and act upon, better and better, step by step, each day.
The Yoga principle of "Tapas" advices us to have a regular discipline, to go beyond and burn away our inner resistances. This little effort is so beneficial to us and comes back thousandfold. But remember that your effort can be put in other parts of the thousandfold practices and teachings of Yoga. Helping a friend in need, working on a specific Yama or Niyama (part of the 8 Limbs of Yoga), cleaning your local parc from cigarette butts, chanting sacred mantras to a guitar, sending out healing thoughts to the Oceans... all of that is a Yoga, that is more helpful than being able to bring your leg behind your ears.
What matters most is that you are in alignment with your feelings and thoughts. If you decide to practice, practice with all your heart and soul. If you choose to not practice, do it with all your heart and soul. Without judgement, allow what is and live and let yourself be lived by. Every day and hour of your life.
With love, contentment & Yoga
Angelika
PS: How do you relate to this? What other 'Should or Shouldn'ts' do you hear sometimes that you don't know how to interpret?
Let me hear your personal experiences!
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