Establishing a Home Practice

No one can do it but the one who wants it, yearns for the home practice and is willing finally to splat! roll out the mat and begin. It's been a long road for me.

It seems so easy for yoga teachers to tell us in class to "practice this at home". Or to remember in our home practice to do one thing or another. I and a few others whom I happen to catch glances with hear and understand this concept, but hadn't mastered or begun it yet. I doubted that I would. I like going to class. I really like going to class- not only do I have the social interactions very important to me in many months of limited employment, but I get attention and I get to learn, practice, sometimes show-off. I also get hot yoga which is not possible in my apartment. Class in a nearby studio with short driving or bicycling time is a luxury which I have been blessed to have. Once one pays for 'unlimited' classes , there is an extra incentive to use that pass and from doing so, yoga poses and health benefits become more noticeable.

Over time I have encountered workshops and classes about how to establish a home practice, but why would I go? my favorite studio filled my needs. And in my mind going to a class to be told I had to spread out my mat and begin was not going to 'teach me' much. Unless the workshop leader would come to my apartment and turn off the tv; confiscate the Sudoku and close the computer and kitchen i wasn't going to benefit from the workshop. It would be ultimately, up to me. Just do it!

This week winter blessed us with an unexpected intense storm which once again trapped my car in a treacherously ice -covered parking lot. None of the other apartment occupants braved swerving out of our closely parked hillside, why would I? Even to go to my precious yoga I wouldn't risk smashing my neighbors' cars. I ventured out one day on slippery streets to take a bus- the snow route dropped me right in front of the yoga studio. I only had to walk 1/2 mile to flag down a busin the dark to return home. The next day I couldn't repeat this maneuver due to the cold and a little fear of slipping. I follow my friends' comments on facebook, isolated in this white ice-out. Emily commented that she was missing her class, so I suggested that she lead a virtual class. Sneaky me, asking another to be the teacher, organizer. Clever her, she offered to do so the next day.

I really wanted my yoga. Yoga can call you or you can call it. Yesterday the call was answered. In order to be sure I would really practice, I created an event on FB and invited lots of people to my virtual class. Then all I had to do was follow the plan. Candles lit, chanting, breathing, poses looking at chair legs; staring up at bookshelves begin and the body remembers and calls one to the next pose and the next. No teacher yesterday but me. I trust my FB friends are doing their yoga however and whenever it is. Tonight will be another home practice, this time without a FB event. I am still learning. I am still yearning my yoga.

If it weren't for this winter ice storm I may have floated along in the bliss of usually relying on others to be the teachers, leaders, drivers of my practice. Thank you snow flakes. Class begins in 13 minutes.. candles, quiet breathing, 3 Oms and then childs pose. Join me.