Staying present in Yoga is sometimes super easy. It's probably why we all come to class. We drop in, we automatically let go of whatever else is going on and we just do our sun salutations and give ourselves a break from life. If only for 90 minutes. It can change everything. This is why I love starting my day with Yoga. Because if nothing goes right that day, at least the Yoga happened. But we do all have those days where your outside life just invades your practice. OR you just can't let go of what happened at work, you hate the teacher's playlist or voice, and your hands keep slipping on the crappy mat that you rented. UGH. It happens to all of us! The more we practice, the more we can prevent these challenging moments. More importantly the more we practice, the more we can incorporate staying present into our regular life when we need it. This is why I believe, I've always sought out Yoga. And the more I practice the more I really feel like I can use it as a tool when I am feeling anxious or stressed. I can just get into a place where I can imagine being in class and holding and chair pose twist for 5 breathes. Then the 5 breathes are over and I am so much calmer because I stayed with it!
Practicing being in the present moment can do so much good for us! We're so often caught up in what's going around that are senses are constantly "reacting". When we turn ourselves inward we can allow our senses to instead, notice what's going on within ourselves which is the important part! We don't often notice how we feel internally until our body is setting off red flags like pain, discomfort, panic, etc. If we can notice these things before they happen it can become preventative.
I remember looking at photos of these incredible looking places in New England! And finally got to visit when my childhood friend got married there just a few weeks ago! Here are some photos...
