Getting Back In

I sent out a request for blog post suggestions over two weeks ago and I got FOUR great ones - from ONE person. An old friend and colleague from Atlanta, Tommy Housworth. He sent them in 2 separate tweets and I pondered each for at least 10 minutes. And then nothing. I may be a huge motivator (in fact I got Tommy and our friend Widdi Turner to take a plank break in the middle of the day via Facebook posts) however, I can be the QUEEN of Procrastination.

It's been very cold here in NY, so have only left the house when I HAD to. Which this week, was not that much. I've enjoyed the quiet and the reading, catching up on Girls and The Daily Show, but since I had a pass at Laughing Lotus that was about to expire I hauled my booty out into the windchill to take a yoga class. Was it exactly what I needed? You betcha. Did I feel it in my hips and shoulder the next day? Yup.

So, today I sit at my desk and I will tackle each of the 4 blog post ideas in turn - in the order they were given to me. It's a more than a little apropos to start with this one.

1) HOW TO GET BACK INTO YOGA AFTER TOO MANY MONTHS AWAY

When I lived in Oakland, there was a yoga studio only a 10 minute walk away. They charged $50 a month for unlimited classes. In January 2012, I took 14 classes, taught 1 and took 1 Urban Contemporary dance class. Yeah, I was active. In NY I certainly walk lots, but I have not found a studio that I love. Therefore I don't practice as often as I'd like. As I experienced earlier this week, if you want to get back into yoga (or rather anything for that matter) take a deep breath and just go. Mind over matter. Remember how you feel at the end of a class? Yeah, that feeling. You can have it again. So just GO.

I could end this post here, but let's be a little more specific about yoga. When I do go to class or practice at home after a considerable hiatus here are things I do:

a. Start with RULE #1: AHIMSA
The first "rule" or limb of yoga is called Ahimsa. From the sanskrit it literally translates into 'avoidance of injury.' So of course, you're thinking, well, duh, of course I plan to avoid injury. But it's greater than that. In my teacher training we learned Ahimsa as 'do no harm.' It speaks to the yogic lifestyle of not harming anyone, including yourself. However while doing asana (the physical poses we refer to as yoga) it's important to be mindful of where you are RIGHT NOW and perhaps taking breaks throughout your first (and second) practice back.

b. Come to love BALASANA- Child's pose
When I teach I always encourage my students to come to child's pose at any time. I get excited when I see a few actually take me up on it. While many of us push through and try to keep up, it takes a lot of mastery to know when your body and mind need a rest. If we have not been practicing regularly, we may have lost some flexibility and strength. We may have a harder time connecting our movements to our breath. We don't get prizes for doing every pose and each vinyasa, people. If you need a break, take one.

c. Play with 70% Effort
My teacher in California, Shy Sayar gave a very powerful and energetic class. It wasn't quite a "power" class, but it was very athletic and challenging. One class he asked us to dial back our effort level. As we went through each and every pose, he suggested we do it with 70% of our full effort. Everything became easier. There was breath and buoyancy in the poses and less tension in my body. Did I have full extension of each pose? No. But it was pretty darn close. And it felt easy.

d. Schedule your NEXT class
Once you're back in class or have started a home practice, add your next session to your calendar. Look at the classes your studio offers and see what works with your schedule or perhaps a new class that you want to try. If you have a home practice, put it on your calendar and do not allow yourself to reschedule or cancel. We are creatures of habit. Once something is in our daily or weekly routine, we tend to stick with it. If you like yoga, make it a priority. If you don't, find something else that may challenges your body and mind.

How do you get over the procrastination hurdle? Anything you do to ease back into your practice?