Where Is Your Yoga When The Shit Hits The Fan?

Starting this article off by saying, that I am no saint what so ever and I am in no way a "perfect yogini" or a "perfect christian".

With that being said.... What the hell man?!?

Over the past couple of years I have spent A LOT of time with yogis. Some that are blissed out of their minds I need to tug on their balloon string to bring them back down to earth just to have a conversation with them.

But some other yogis.....ehhhhh, it's more like tugging on their dynomate wick.

I am so surprised by the lack of patience, explosive behavior, or negative attitudes some yogis have. Again, just because you teach yoga or practice yoga, does not mean you have been granted the mother Theresa gene.

Some of the benefits we obtain and learn in yoga are:

• Improved Breathing
• Increased Focus
• Better Balance
• Reduced Stress
• Reduced Anxiety
• Decreased Depression

With that being said, Where is your yoga when the shit hits the fan?

We are not using ANY of the techniques that our yoga practice is teaching us. I have a HUGE fear of flying and my one friend said, "Just use your yoga breath"

My response, "Screw yoga breath!"

That's because I was in such a stressed state, I didn't focus on my over 10 years of practicing all over the world. No, I just focused on the "shitty" situation I was in.

But once I got on the plane.. I started to use a drishti technique that actually worked for me!

Remember:

Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodha

"yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind"

So next time you find your self having to wait for a menu at a resturant, the stop light is too long or someone has displeasing behavior, first acknowledge it with your current emotion, and then use your yogic techniques. Yoga is not about all the fancy gymnastics you can do and all the pretty pictures you can take. Yoga is an all day, everyday, on the mat , off the mat,  practice.

"Your yoga is a refelection of your life and your life is a refelction of your yoga"

-BreaYoga

Journal: One Of The Most Important Things You Can Do In Your Life

I never was the "Dear Diary" type. Once in awhile I would write in my diary. It never really became a regular habit.

Not until I graduated college...

I noticed that putting down my thoughts and ideas was a great way to release anger or secrets I didn't feel like sharing.

As the years have gone by, it has developed into something even more meaningful. It is now my life documented in a book. With all of my traveling, I make it a point to jot down the days events. I have also been carrying around a Travel Journal. To date, It has been to 7 countries with more than 50 passages of people from around the world. People I may have just met for 2 days in a hostel or someone I had a 2 hour flight with.

I have now been encouraging my students to journal. On our Panama Yoga Retreat, I got everyone a journal. It was so great to see everyone taking time out at the end of the day to journal their experience!

And what do you do when you are too tired from surfing, zip lining, or volcano hiking??

Simple

Two Words.

Thats It

Two Words.

You take your days experience and write down the center of the page with just two words to describe the experience.

Here is an entry from my personal journal when I was in Africa:

Nairobi Kenya

Slum Visit

Surf Board

Meet Stephanie

Almond Butter

I Cry

On Bus

Arm Pit

High Five

Lasagna Dinner

Couples Mission

Leading To

Am I

Being Set

Up For

This Path

Relationship Hope

Man Voice

Coyote Pee

Essential Oils.

I know none of that made sense to you, but those quick phrases, brings me right back.

I encourage you to start a journal and maybe even a travel journal.

“For any writer who wants to keep a journal, be alive to everything, not just to what you're feeling, but also to your pets, to flowers, to what you're reading.” 
― May Sarton