Yes, of course you do!
‘Time is passing so quickly!’, is a remark made frequently. Our life often appears to be very busy, and to add a yoga practice to the daily schedule can seem almost impossible. That our days are taken up by a myriad of commitments is a reality for many of us, there is no denying that. This can result in a feeling of overwhelm, and the fear arises that we can’t fulfill the many obligations put upon us. Consequently many of us experience various degrees of anxiety or other physical, emotional or mental complications.
The ‘more obvious need’ to practice Yoga
If you sometimes experience anxiety or depression, and have practiced Yoga before, you will have physically and mentally experienced and understood the necessity of a regular practice. It works incredibly well in alleviating all of those symptoms.
Also, if physical limitations are present or if you suffer from an injury, you will quickly comprehend how Yoga is so wonderfully taking you on a journey of healing.
In short, committing yourself to regular Yoga practice – be it postures, pranayama (breathing) and/or meditation – is much easier if you have a ‘reason’ to do it. You set priorities, and Yoga will be high on the list, because you know so well how valuable it is, and how much you need it.
The ‘wise need’ to practice Yoga
For many, the need to practice Yoga might not be so apparent… yet. If you are usually feeling rather well and happy without any greater health issues, you could regard Yoga as a fun activity, a welcome physical challenge or as a means to create some peace and calm within yourself. These are beautiful and valid reasons for practice, but they might not be quite as pressing as when a health issue is present.
The next step is to make it a regular, sustainable part of your life. ‘But why is that necessary if I am already quite well?’ you might ask. You want to be – and stay – healthy, mobile, bright, and able to participate in any activity; to be connected with others and in particular as we age.
Still, where does the motivation and time to practice come from, if the need for it is not acutely felt?
Luckily Yoga is quite addictive! If you are practicing the correct method under the guidance of a capable teacher you will have had subtle or more obvious experiences of a blissful feeling, or a heightened state of well-being. A good teacher will challenge you just enough for you to get a taste of what the next attainable stage in your yoga journey might feel like. After such practice you will have noticed how smoothly and effortlessly the rest of the day unfolds, and how you got everything done so much more easily and efficiently.
Looking for inspiration
So you have intellectually grasped the necessity of a regular yoga practice, but still you might think that first; you don’t have the time for it, and second; you can’t motivate yourself enough to get to a class. Here it helps to look for inspiration from someone who has accomplished the yoga/busy-life balance, and is mastering the ability of fitting all they need to, into their day, and still manage to appear energetic, inspired, young, and with a sparkle in their eyes. It would help you to find a role model, especially someone who has been practicing for a long time and still loves getting onto the mat with apparent enthusiasm and curiosity.
Our Yoga sangha – community – will have answers for you, too. There are others who are experiencing the same feelings of limitation, as you do.
Wise time management
There is still the question of how to fit the practice into your very full day.
It could be helpful initially – or for the more regular students, again – to immerse yourself fully into the practice for a limited time, such as attending a week-long workshop, subscribing to a monthly Yoga program, or doing a course over a number of weeks etc. This will set you up perfectly, and you then can get some advice from your teacher about possibilities of amending your practice to fit it into your time schedule. Sometimes, combining attending classes at a Yoga shala with the occasional home practice, might work well for you.
‘Wo ein Wille ist, ist auch ein Weg’ – A german proverb
which translates to ‘where there is a will, there is a way’. It doesn’t matter where you draw your motivation to practice from: – a challenging physical or mental condition, an injury, the wish to be able to ‘fold your legs into knots’, put your foot behind your head, holding your breath for some minutes at a time, or being able to sit still without moving at all for an hour – as long as you feel inspired enough to practice, you will find the time to take care of your physical, emotional and mental wellbeing – through Yoga.
Always remember, Yoga brings out the best in you. One always feels so much better at the end of a practice session; you can keep up with the toddler, you will be much more efficient in attending to your daily tasks, you’ll accelerate at your job, you become the beautiful person everyone wants to hang out with; and your beautiful Self – your essence – can shine through to its full potential.
You will want to make time for that…
OM Shanti, Angelika