Yoga With Pamela McDowell

I’ve learned that some of my clients rush through their practice, just wanting to “get it done” or pack it into an already tight schedule.

Often, these are the same people who could use a little more calming and relaxation. So, while they are benefiting from their yoga practice, they could be getting even more out of their practice by doing it at a more measured, reflective pace that will help calm their system.

So how can you find the time for a more relaxed pace?

Be realistic about the time you have to practice. For example, if you have 20 minutes and not a bit more, set that as your cap for planning. Then pick a practice that would normally take you 10 or 15 minutes… and expand that practice to fill 18 to 20 minutes.

Adjust this to fit the time you have to practice. For an hour, pick a practice that would normally take you 40 to 50 minutes. For a 10 minute session, pick one that would normally take you 5 or 6 minutes.

So, how do you fill out that extra time?

At the beginning of your practice, take a moment to notice your breath, your mental activity and your overall feeling in your body (emotions, physical sensations, etc.). Repeat this at the end of your practice and notice if anything has changed.

Take a moment again when you transition from one pose to another to come to a neutral position and just notice… notice any sensations, feelings. Also take this time to just notice when switching from one side to another in asymmetric movements (such as Virabhadrasana, “the warrior”).

Slow your pace of movement. In Viniyoga, we tie movement to breath. So for example, if you are easily capable of maintaining a 4-second inhale and 4-second exhale during asana, let your movements take up that entire 8 seconds rather than rushing through in 4 or 6 seconds.

Now, practice and do not leave your practice area until at least 18 minutes have passed. Finish your practice and if you have time left over extend your Savannah (or your preferred resting position), do a savasana if you normally skip it, do some extra pranayama, practice some reflection, or read an inspirational story. Do anything that enhances your practice and keeps you in that space until your time is up.

Notice what you encounter from this process. Some may find it easy. Others may meet internal resistance. And that could vary from day to day.

All of this will contribute to the increased awareness you are cultivating in your yoga practice.

Read about some of the benefits of yoga:
How to Benefit from the Yoga-GABA Study

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A journal is a wonderful tool. Keeping a journal can help keep you motivated and it is very useful for discovering your patterns.

Record as much or as little as you like - it is for you to use and to learn from.

Every so often, review what you write.

During my 2-year teacher training, we were required to maintain a journal to keep track of our asana and pranayama. Then, every month or so, review it and note our observations.

Here are some ideas of what to put in it -
How you feel before practice (even a few descriptive words will suffice -you may want to consider your state of mind, your physical feeling, your breathing)
What practice you did (you can transcribe the practice in stick figures or just describe it - example 30 minutes, lots of forward bends)
How you feel after, and any observations from the practice (again, this can just be a few words)

Here’s a tip to make it really easy… get yourself a calendar or diary with the dates already in it. That will save you writing the date and figuring out what day it is. You can get academic-year calendars that start in the middle of the year (usually August) and of course regular year calendars. The range from basic black to bright and zippy and just about anything in between.

My favorite so far has been a 5″x7″ spiral bound calendar with a page for each day. Some pages had a little writing, some had none, some had a lot. It was easy to glance back and get an insight into my habits.

Other things you can experiment with writing about -
Time and length of your practice(s)
How well you slept the previous night (duration and quality of sleep)
Unusual life activities or events (like family is visiting, big meeting at work, stayed out late last night, etc.)
Other activities fitness or spiritually related (exercise, going hiking, attending church, etc.)
Change in supplements, medications or diet
Menstrual cycle
Elimination (if you’re prone to constipation or other bowl issues)

Play with it, and enjoy learning from it!

Study yourself, study others:
Grandpa’s Yoga Sutras
Grandma’s Yoga Secrets

Sign up for the free audio series "7 Ancient Yoga Secrets to Modern Healing"

Tags: Yoga Motivation, Yoga Practice Tips, Yoga Techniques // Add Comment »