I call it Daily Yoga because it’s a practice. It doesn’t involve twisting your body into shapes on a mat, sitting in an incense-filled room saying namaste or going anywhere special to partake. You do it whenever, wherever, and all it requires is paying attention to your body or internal dialogue. Ah, but it’s called paying attention because that’s the price of making lasting changes. It requires something.
What is Daily Yoga? It’s selecting a belief, action or thought you want to change and recognizing opportunities throughout the day to do it differently. For instance, when I first began the practice years ago, I noticed how tense my shoulders were and how close they lived to my ears instead of in a relaxed state, so I intended to pay attention. When I noticed my shoulders were tense, I relaxed them. Every time and it happened often. It really should be called Weekly Yoga because I did it every day for a week or even longer. I didn’t berate me when I caught myself with tightened, raised shoulders; I consciously dropped them and went about my business. It went something like, ah, here we are again. Drop. And again. Drop. Over and over.
It worked! Pretty soon, the dropping was automatic, without a thought, and within no time, my shoulders remained lower. Magic.
Dropping shoulders is a physical manifestation. What about beliefs or thoughts that are ready to be changed?
Well, another time, I decided I wanted to lose the disdain I recognized that sometimes arose within me towards others. For instance, while driving, navigating crowds of people, or interacting with folks with different belief systems — that ugly holier than thou feeling that can sneak up on the best of us.
So I began paying attention when that attitude arose. I put myself in check, again and again, day after day. Recognizing when those thoughts colored my vision allowed something else to emerge. By paying attention instead of running with the same old thought pattern, the habit dissipated…for the most part. (Smiley face, here.)
Maybe you want to begin meditating, exercising or taking more walks? Daily Yoga invites you to do it when you have the thought, rather than push it aside. Maybe you want to stop being such a little shit, or to be more loving. Daily Yoga invites you to notice when you’re doing or not doing it and to consciously take a pause.
Do you want to stop rushing around, gain more patience or be kinder when you’re stressed? Set the intention and pay attention. Beginning is everything.
Remember not to forget what you ask for, because once you set an intention and start paying attention, life will listen, and you’ll have many chances to play. It’s not always pretty.
Truthfully, when it comes to Daily Yoga, I don’t know if Providence steps in and offers a multitude of circumstances once you commit or if paying attention outlines opportunity. Still, I have to say from experience, its game on!
Daily Yoga requires acceptance, intention and attention. And adjustment.
Remember, acceptance isn’t resignation; it’s recognition. Once you recognize where you are, you can get to where you want to go.
Aint’ life grand!