Yoga Wisdom for a Sacred Life


Today was the last day of my 30-day yoga challenge. I felt such gratitude as I relaxed into the final pose. Not because it was over but rather because I had found a practice that I was able to devote myself to with out question. Did I benefit? Yes, I did. I grew stronger in body and in spirit.

I would like to share some yoga wisdom for your life on or off the mat.

We Need One Another
I love yoga and even so I had been away from a regular practice for several months. I’d go every once in awhile, but life seemed to keep getting in the way, that is, until the day I received a text from one of my favourite yoga teachers. She had moved away and had returned for one week of teaching. “ Where are you? My last evening is today!” In 20 short minutes I had my yoga clothes on and I was inside the studio ready to take her class.

I felt like I was finally home and decided to go again the following morning just to listen to her beautiful voice.

After two days of yoga, my body was sore but my spirit was soaring!

A few days later I received this post “30 days?” on my Facebook profile. A friend from the yoga studio was giving me a gentle nudge to sign up for the 30-day yoga challenge that was beginning that week.

So, you see, two beautiful women coaxed me back to yoga. Because of them, the first thing I learned during my 30 days is that we need one another. When we are lost we need someone to call out to us.

Let Your Breath Lead the Way
“Let your breath lead the way” were the words spoken early one morning by of one of my yoga teachers. The breath has great importance in yoga. It leads the way in moving from pose to pose and has a calming influence helping you to stay present in the challenging poses.

So too in life, a conscious breath helps you fully take in the moment. Many of the practices I design for my clients encourage taking a conscious breath. In one of my recent blog posts I said “Next time you notice something beautiful or something that feels good, take one conscious breath. Let yourself thoroughly take in the delight and deliciousness of the moment.”

Last week in a session with a client we designed a practice that included one expansive movement that encouraged a deep breath, a breath that would help open the way across the threshold that separated my client from her dreams.

Find A Place of Ease
In yoga if you shift ever so slightly you can always find a place where you experience more ease. This was my third lesson. Find a place of ease. There is really no reason to always move to the point of stress.

So too in life, rather than power through, I encourage you to ‘practice’ through. Simple practices lead you powerfully forward in your life. Powering is rather like pushing on a door again and again to the point where moving through it seems almost impossible.

A simple practice is almost effortless and is like realizing that you can simply turn the knob.

Have you tried ‘Awaken Your Waiting’ in ‘5 Simple Practices to Create Peace in Your Home’ on my website www.yourwelcomehome.ca? If you ‘Awaken Your Waiting’, tidying up a cluttered space seems almost effortless.

Keep Your Attention on Your Core
In yoga your support comes from your core. Every pose is easier if you engage your core, the muscles of the belly and the mid and lower back. That way you are supported and work through the poses from the inside out.

If you live from the core of your life, you follow your intuition and create a life filled with what truly matters.

Creating ceremonies to mark the important transitions in your life brings a feeling of being in the centre of life. Being in a place that is rich with nourishment.

Structure Brings Freedom
The structure of committing to 30 days brought me freedom. It was clear that given the choice between yoga and anything else, yoga would win. Hmmm…should I sleep in or go to yoga? Clearly I chose yoga. When I was scheduled to be out of town one weekend I found a yoga studio there where I could practice. 30 days of doing yoga was physically challenging but it was emotionally easy because I was committed to the clear structure of one class each day for 30 days.

Having been a practicing artist for a number of years, my creativity is well developed. But it wasn’t until I brought structure into my practice that I could count on my creativity. I remember someone asking me once, “aren’t you afraid you won’t be able to create”? It had never occurred to me. A clear structure is like rich compost for nourishing creativity.

There is so much wisdom to be gained from devoting yourself to a practice. I feel so fortunate to have answered the call to practice yoga for 30 days. What will I do tomorrow morning when the alarm goes off? I think I’ll go to yoga. Who knows what other wisdom is awaiting me there?

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2 Comments

  1. Andrew Jobes
    Posted March 30, 2013 at 11:38 pm | Permalink

    Wonderful, Jovanna. Thank you for taking the on-the-mat practicalities off the mat and into the heart. I’m planning to begin a personal 30-day challenge on April 1st… see you there 🙂

    • Jovanna
      Posted March 31, 2013 at 6:47 pm | Permalink

      You’re welcome, Andrew. I can’t wait to hear about your experience of the practice.

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