There are two important points that warrant our attention regarding our personal practice of yoga:
ATTITUDE
REGULARITY
Regularity: It is important that we spend some time each day devoted to our practice of yoga. If all you can mange in the beginning is 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening, then definitely take those10 minutes. In time it will grow to 20 and 30 and more. As your interest and involvement increase and as you become more aware of the effect that your practice has on you both mentally and physically, the amount of time willgrow.
Attitude: Asanas should never be done carelessly. A state of mind that is attentive, receptive and awake is essential to the highest goals of yoga. All the great Masters tell us again and again, that what we refer to as our waking state is closer to sleep than it is to true wakefulness. You can see this for yourself at the end of any given day. Sit down and try to recall how many actions you executed without full awareness, how many things that you thought about that now you can’t remember, and in general how many gaps there are on your memory of what you did during the day. Being in the HERE AND NOW is the most difficult task confronting us, whether walking, talking, eating or going about the general chores of the day. It is precisely this HERE AND NOWNESS that is required for the practice of yoga. It is to this end that the following suggestions are given.
Place: It is recommended that your practice be in the same place. Your place should be clean, comforatable, well ventilated and relatively free of disturbances.
Time: It is best to practice at the same time every day. This way the mind can get used to a new and reular habit. Mornings are usually the best time for practice, so that we can tune in to the rays of the rising sun. Evening , at sundown is also a good time for practice. You may have a vigorous morning practice to tune up your energy for the day, and a calming meditative practice to enter into your evening.
Food: An empty stomach is the best for yoga practice. If you must eat before a class have a salad or fruit no later that 1-2 hours before your class or practice. Yoga and a full stomach do not go well together. Either do one or the other.
Bath: A shower or bath before yoga practice is recommended to relax your muscles and feel awake.
Breath: Always maintain breath awareness and make the breath full and complete throughout your practice. Visualize that you are drawing the breath and filling the space in your body with the breath.
Eyes Closed: Throughout your practice keep your eyes closed. We are constantly distracted and drawn to that which is around us. By keeping the eyes closed not only is mental and physical energy controlled but your inner sensitivities are heightened and the subtler effects and sensations in your inner space are more easily perceived.
RELAX: Above all Relax Relax RELAXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX !!
1. Adopt an attitude of gratitude: be open to the experience without any preconceived ideas of how things “should be”. Feel honored and grateful that your practice is coming to you and you will receive.
2. Witness Awareness: become the silent witness, the observer, be the “Seer” rather than thinking that you are the “Doer”. Watch your thoughts, feelings, sensations come and go without being carried away by them. When you are just let go and come back to the silent witness.
3. Acceptance: Be where you are, accept the present moment as it actually is instead of thinking how it “should be”. Accept where you are in your practice and trust in that. Be honest with yourself.
4. Patience: Allow your practice to unfold in its natural way in its own time.
Let go of thinking that some time in the future will better than the present moment.
5. Trust: have complete trust and faith in your practice of yoga. Listen to the wisdom in your body and let your body assume the postures and movements it needs for optimum results. Dont let your mind get in the way.
6. Non-Force: let go of resistance, don’t try to force a square peg into a round hole. Apply the power of your will and positive mental attitude. Honor your body and its limits.
7. Letting Go: let go of your body, let go of your thoughts , create this “letting goness” and just let it happen.