Savor in the New Year
Every Moment Counts
Pick up any yoga book
or self-help book for that matter, and you’ll read the following advice: Be in the present moment. Enjoy right now. Great advice, but how do we get “good” at
living in the moment?
Just as a basketball
player practices free throws for game time, we can practice being present in
our asana (poses) practice. When you
step into Warrior 2, you first begin to line up the feet, then legs. You elongate your spine, and spread your
energy out from your heart to your fingertips.
But the pose doesn’t stop here.
Prana (energy) continues to flow.
Here’s where the
magic begins. You begin to
notice. You begin to listen. Your breath, whether slow and steady or short
and fast, is sending messages to your mind.
If you choose to listen, you begin to adjust your stance or lift your
heart.
Your mind slowly lets
go of outside distractions and focuses on what is happening right now –
standing in Warrior 2. Each time we
enter Warrior 2, our bodies give other messages such as “when I lift my chest,
I can breathe easier,” and “dipping a little deeper into my hips releases the
work stress from the day.”
When we step off the
mat, and back into the real world, we put this mindful practice into action. Savor the drive to and from work – giving
yourself time to sit in quietness. Let
your mind soak in the scrubbing motion when washing dishes. Turn off all electronics and spend time
listening to your family without any distractions. Indulge in a delicious piece of chocolate
cake tasting every moist detail.
Slow down and enjoy
the ride. Spend the time practicing
on the mat, and savor the results everyday.
