Finally, someone else can't seem to find the hour and a half it takes to do yoga three times a week (not including travel time to and from yoga studio.) The part of launching that always appeals to me and to many other millions of women launching their own businesses is that their lives take on new freedom and flexibility. So, where yoga might have been impossible in their 'corporate' jobs, it becomes a reality as an entrepreneur. Ironically, entrepreneurship is actually more time consuming...it's just your OWN.
Take a peek at Caren Magill's happy medium...from lotus position.
Amy Swift, Editor in Chief
Yoga: Could a Little Go a Long Way?
by Caren Magill
Palo Alto, CA
www.skepticyogi.com
carenmagill@gmail.com
408.964.8778
Have you ever seen those little bite size packages that cookie manufactures are now pushing -- 100 calories in a little package of yumminess? They satiate our need for indulgence without inducing the guilt of over doing it. Its only 100 calories after all, right? The moral of this musing is that sometimes we can only afford to indulge a little, and usually that's all we need to satiate our needs.
One of my struggles with a regular yoga practice is the time commitment it takes. An hour and a half class 3 or 4 times a week is almost impossible, given that I still have to work full time, keep up my running and strength training 4 times a week, and then maintain some semblance of a life on top of all that (geez, who has time for kids these days?). Yoga, this apparently relaxation -- inducing practice, is actually starting to stress me out, as I can't find the time to squeeze it all in! Funny, when I look at these images of self-actualized swami's it never occurs to me that they probably don't deal with inner city rush hour traffic very much.
So I've adjusted my schedule to decrease the pressure to "perform" my yogic duties. Now I get up a little earlier (I'm talking 10 or 15 min.s max), do a few stretches before my meditation, and then leave my mat in the middle of the living room floor the whole day. Now, I recognize this might be a challenge if you live with a family of others that don't appreciate the ascetics of sticky mat area rugs, but if you can even just leave it really accessible, its likely that you might kick it out here and there for a few little yoga bites throughout the day rather than a full class commitment which you will otherwise just miss if you can't spare the time.
Making yoga a part of your life means creating opportunities to make it easier to do...or (if you're like most) you just won't do it. It seems to be working for me, and I'm finding increments of 5, 10 or 15 minute visits to the mat is just enough time to center myself, stretch my ailing body parts, and feel a drastic improvement in my overall energy level.
Don't look at a yoga lifestyle as an all or nothing achievement. Welcome it into the fold of your world slowly, gently and see what happens. I think you'll enjoy the benefits of bite size indulgences as much as your palm size portion of Oreos!
Visit www.skepticyogi.com for more modern lifestyle musings on living a more centered, authentic life.