At my yoga and meditation retreat last month (which was amazing, by the way, if I do say so myself) one of the students shared what was most meaningful to her about the weekend.
She said, "My biggest takeaway was that while I had been doing yoga for a long time, I have now learned how to 'practice' yoga."
What about you? Are you someone that has been doing yoga for a while? Do you know the postures, what they're called and maybe even the sanskrit names? Do you have all the equipment, fancy mat and the perfect namaste t-shirt?
All these things are good and can make a yoga class more fun and comfortable. But when you show up on your mat, do you do the work? Do you do the practice?
Each time you come to your mat, you get to make a choice. You can just go through the motions, create the right shapes, and bow your head at the right time.
OR...
You can come to your mat and practice. Practice being present in your body, in your mind, and in your heart. Can you do the hard stuff like finding the balance between effort and ease in mountain pose? Or allowing your mind to center on your breath? Or by sending love and healing out to someone you're in conflict with?
This is what it means to truly PRACTICE yoga. And that's when yoga begins to truly permeate your soul and transform your life.
Practice isn't about perfection. It's about showing up for yourself and doing the work. Pattabhi Jois said, "Do your practice and all is coming."
The next time you're on your mat, ask yourself, "Am I here to do yoga or to practice yoga?"
I’m grateful to this student for her wisdom born out of her own yoga practice.