On Sleeping In

{Via}

In opening my yoga classes I usually talk about observing the body and acknowledging how it feels. Then I encourage my students to perhaps make an intention to honor how they feel. If they're feeling run down, maybe they don't push themselves too hard and just take it easy this class. If they have a ton of energy, maybe they push to their edge. 

Off the mat, I try to do the same. If I'm feeling a little restless, I'll go for a run, or do a thorough cleaning through the house. And if I'm exhausted, I'll sleep in.

Sleeping in is a weird thing. Some people gawk at the "wasted time" and "all you could accomplish in that time". Others find it essential on ocassion. In my opinion, there's no right or wrong way to do your mornings. Sometimes my alarm goes off at 6:20am and I'm psyched to get up and get down to the beach to start my morning practice as the sun rises. Those days are wonderful. 

And on other mornings, I'm filled with complete exhaustion when my alarm goes off. On those days, I sleep in. Those days are just as wonderful.

My point is to honor how you feel and be mindful about labeling. Maybe look at those extra hours of sleep as a time for your body to recouperate rather than a wasted morning. Always listen to your body and let it do what it needs to in order to feel its best both on and off the mat.

Yoga Philosophy: Satya

There are two parts to yoga. One, the physical aspect that we all know consists of your practice on the mat. Second, and equally important, the practice of a yogic lifestyle off the mat as outlined  2500 years ago by Patanjali, the Godfather of yoga. Patanjali speaks of Satya, a moral attitude of truthfulness. 

With Satya in mind in the physical practice, we should strive to do what is available to us instead of holding onto predetermined expectations and lying to ourselves about what we can and cannot do. As we become more aligned in our truth on the mat, we naturally will become stronger, and develop a more authentic practice.

Off the mat, we can do the same. We can let go of the unknown, of jealousy, of fear. Through remaining honest our lives become richer. It is freeing to feel released from the stress of lying to ourselves and others. In the presence of Satya, stress can melt away from our relationships and situations.

An example: I went to a dinner last week at a friend's house. Her boyfriend, whom I've never met, is a chef and he made us the most fantastic gourmet meal I've honestly ever had. It was no big deal to him to whip up a side of beets and quail eggs (I wouldn't know what to do with a quail egg if you gave one to me!) and it could have been really easy to bottle up and pretend I had a clue about what he was serving, his cooking techniques, etc. Instead, I practiced Satya, remained honest with myself and my friend's boyfriend, and ended up picking his brain and learning a lot from him. It was freeing and much easier than giving into feeling insecure about my own shortcomings in the kitchen.

One of the things we were taught was to use fresh herbs, so we got home, picked up some seeds, pots and dirt, and hopefully we'll have some fresh herbs sprouting up soon! 

So tell me, where might you make a change in your life to be a little more honest with yourself?