by Joumana Saber
We all know that if we want to get better at anything we do, we should give it our all and do our very best - we should keep practicing. We are familiar with the phrase "practice makes perfect" and chances are, if you are an Ashtanga practitioner, you've heard Guruji's famous advice "practice, practice, all is coming". And so, to practice yoga six days a week is justified in that sense. But, do we really need to justify doing something that's so good for your body (and mind, and soul)? From my own personal experience, I've seen my desires to practice yoga (asana) go from wanting, to needing, to craving (especially on days where I somehow convinced myself out of it - yes, I've had those days), to just... simply doing.
I woke up last Sunday morning feeling great. I taught the morning Mysore class, I did my full practice, I had [fruits for] breakfast, but then I got sick. I resisted going to the hospital because I knew what was coming: antibiotics and other medicines, IV fluids, blood/other tests, which possibly meant spending the night there. Of course, that is exactly what happened when I caved in the very next day. Thankfully, I was able to leave the hospital after the tests and injections. I had some kind of bacteria in my stomach and the bugger gave me a bladder and blood infection, and a very high fever. I couldn't function properly; I could barely stand up straight, keep my eyes open, talk or walk. I couldn't practice because for a few days, I was only able to eat bananas and boiled potatoes and drink water with added electrolytes. I had no energy, no strength. If I tried eating anything else, I'd struggle keeping it down. I started to feel better over the weekend and I set an intention that on Sunday, I would kickstart my practice again. "Kickstart" might be too dramatic, but I knew that getting back on the mat meant rebuilding my practice and regaining my strength. A few days off the mat was not what I wanted or needed now, and hopefully ever.
Yesterday morning, exactly one week later, I got on my mat and I knew I wasn't going to be able to do much. I moved slowly, very slowly. Well, I moved slower than I usually do and it felt great. With every long and deep breath, I felt life come back to my body. Everything my body didn't need or welcome was finally leaving my body - toxins, medicine, the bacteria. Ten minutes into my practice, I was exhausted, but I managed to keep going until I finished the standing postures. I was so out of it, I managed to mess up the last surya namaskara B and leave out a few movements! I'm so glad I was able to go that far because that reassured me that my body is phenomenal. I started my practice feeling weak, but then I got stronger. To my surprise, my willpower was even stronger than my body, and that made me happy. This is why I love the Ashtanga tradition. It brought me great joy to know that even though my asanas did not look so pretty, I was able to move and take very deep and comforting breaths. The combination of moving and breathing (and sweating it out) made me feel calm, strong, connected and it definitely brought back my appetite!
I've had [many] days where I was able to convince myself not to practice. My body hurt, I overslept, I didn't sleep enough, I was feeling sad or too emotional, I was hungry, and the best excuse of all, "I was busy". I've also had days where, honestly, I could not practice. I was either dealing with a very bad injury that kept me bed rest, or I was sick (let's not forget monthly cycles and moon days). Here's what I learned:
- Your body can perform miracles. It can become stronger, it can become more flexible and it can MOVE in many ways, shapes, and directions. And if you feel pain in your body, it will heal with time - however long it takes.
- #yogaeverydamnday, and I'm not JUST talking about inversions and twists and crazy backbends. Yoga asana is part of your daily routine and yoga practice, and if it's not, it definitely should be. Yoga asana is a great tool to unfold and understand all other aspects of yoga, such as the practice of controlling the breath (pranayama). Yoga to any given individual can be physical exercise, pranayama or breathing exercise, meditation, chanting, etc... so practice yoga, every damn day, and every damn second of the day.
- Get on your mat, you won't regret it. If you are lazy, weak, tired, busy, or whatever, just get on your mat whenever you can. Make it a habit to do some form of an asana practice everyday. If you usually practice in the morning, but couldn't, then practice later during the day whenever you get the chance. If you can't do a full practice, then modify and AT LEAST do surya namaskara. This isn't a piece of advice that's new to the world of yoga, but a gentle reminder won't hurt! And if you practice and aggravate whatever pain/injury is already occurring in the body, at least you won't be wondering "what if I practiced today".
- If you stopped for one day, a few weeks, a few months or even years, it's never too late or too difficult to start again. You just need a body, a good attitude, an open mind, the right intentions and the will to kickstart your yoga practice. After all, yoga is good for you and you know that! Whether you got a taste of it firsthand or you read somewhere that yoga has many health benefits, you know it's good for you physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.