Rediscovering Inspiration
Anything that we do on a regular basis can begin to feel stale after a while. Anyone that has been in a relationship can attest to this. The energy that ignites the spark in a friendship or romantic relationship can grow cold with time. Sometimes we lose sight of what it was that generated our interest in the first place; other times we take aspects of our loved one for granted. We may also become distracted and stop putting as much effort into staying connected. Whatever the reason, what once seemed exciting or even exhilarating begins to feel...dissatisfying or dull. The same is true for our yoga practice. If we fail to align our intentions and rediscover our passion, our yoga practice can become as stale and sour as a carton of expired milk.
It is not uncommon for people to stop yoga or look for a new teacher as their interest wanes. Obviously there is nothing inherently wrong with this approach. However, it is possible to rekindle your enthusiasm for your daily practice by asking a few simple questions.
Doing the work necessary to stay inspired with a daily ritual like yoga usually means that we need to work on changing our approach and allowing ourselves to be uncomfortable again. I say again, because most of us experienced periods of discomfort and resistance as new students. Challenging ourselves to be uncomfortable pushes us to stay alert and engaged in the process. The discomfort doesn’t need to be extreme, in fact, it can be as simple as trying a new class, revisiting the basics in an intro class or jumping into that level 3 practice on Saturday morning. If we only do what we’re comfortable with, then we are never pushing ourselves to grow beyond our current energy state, and what is the result? Boredom.
Another effective tool is setting goals. All too often we fall into the trap of feeling like we have done it before, so how could it be different this time around? Even though we know that every day is different and every practice has its unique challenges, we still get lulled by the day-in, day-out repetition of a regular practice. Maybe instead of being content to stay in our backbend for five breaths, we set our sights on staying up for 30 or 40 or 60. Perhaps it is learning how to take the shape of a new posture or be still in a longer meditation. Whatever the challenge, goals can help us refocus and rediscover lost enthusiasm and interest.
Finally we need to make space for balance in our practice. This is something I learned very early in my life as a swimmer. Both the body and mind respond with renewed vigor to variation. In other words, if we only engage in vigorous yoga practices we may not be giving ourselves the opportunity to experience the equally important equanimity that can emerge from long periods of stillness in seated meditation. Balance is essential to maintaining a longterm practice and without it we can easily become to attached to a single approach. By balancing motion with stillness in the larger context of our overall practice we double or triple our opportunity for finding a fresh, invigorating perspective.
Staying engaged in anything over the longterm takes effort. The question we all need to ask is how much are we willing to commit to ourselves, our personal power and our inner wellbeing. Yoga is about tuning into the deepest core elements of our psyche over a lifetime. We never arrive at our destination; we are always seekers on the path. The challenge is to remain hungry and to continue to seek out those opportunities for greater self-awareness both on and off the mat.
It is not uncommon for people to stop yoga or look for a new teacher as their interest wanes. Obviously there is nothing inherently wrong with this approach. However, it is possible to rekindle your enthusiasm for your daily practice by asking a few simple questions.
- What excited me about yoga to begin with?
- When did I get too comfortable and lose my focus?
- Do I practice yoga to soothe myself or to purify myself?
Doing the work necessary to stay inspired with a daily ritual like yoga usually means that we need to work on changing our approach and allowing ourselves to be uncomfortable again. I say again, because most of us experienced periods of discomfort and resistance as new students. Challenging ourselves to be uncomfortable pushes us to stay alert and engaged in the process. The discomfort doesn’t need to be extreme, in fact, it can be as simple as trying a new class, revisiting the basics in an intro class or jumping into that level 3 practice on Saturday morning. If we only do what we’re comfortable with, then we are never pushing ourselves to grow beyond our current energy state, and what is the result? Boredom.
Another effective tool is setting goals. All too often we fall into the trap of feeling like we have done it before, so how could it be different this time around? Even though we know that every day is different and every practice has its unique challenges, we still get lulled by the day-in, day-out repetition of a regular practice. Maybe instead of being content to stay in our backbend for five breaths, we set our sights on staying up for 30 or 40 or 60. Perhaps it is learning how to take the shape of a new posture or be still in a longer meditation. Whatever the challenge, goals can help us refocus and rediscover lost enthusiasm and interest.
Finally we need to make space for balance in our practice. This is something I learned very early in my life as a swimmer. Both the body and mind respond with renewed vigor to variation. In other words, if we only engage in vigorous yoga practices we may not be giving ourselves the opportunity to experience the equally important equanimity that can emerge from long periods of stillness in seated meditation. Balance is essential to maintaining a longterm practice and without it we can easily become to attached to a single approach. By balancing motion with stillness in the larger context of our overall practice we double or triple our opportunity for finding a fresh, invigorating perspective.
Staying engaged in anything over the longterm takes effort. The question we all need to ask is how much are we willing to commit to ourselves, our personal power and our inner wellbeing. Yoga is about tuning into the deepest core elements of our psyche over a lifetime. We never arrive at our destination; we are always seekers on the path. The challenge is to remain hungry and to continue to seek out those opportunities for greater self-awareness both on and off the mat.