Finding Space in Your Life

A decade ago, when I took a Zen Buddhist meditation course taught by Reb Anderson of Green Gulch Farm, a student asked him sitting in zazen at home. He first discussed the “logistics” (my word, not  his) of home practice.

I can’t quote him precisely, but here’s the gist:

• You need the support of your household. If your family or partner is opposed or otherwise unsupportive of your practice, it will be difficult to find the time or the right mindset to sit.

• You also need to manage your other priorities (work, travel, child care, pet care, domestic chores, sports, hobbies, etc) to open a space in your schedule.

•  You can’t feel rushed, guilty, or distracted when you sit. You can’t meditate if the phone keeps ringing or if you’re trying to feed your kids breakfast at the same time. A chaotic environment (whether in your environment or in your mind) is not conducive to meditation.

I find his advice apropos to my yoga practice. When my life is stable, when the sea is calm, it is relatively easy to plunge into my home practice. Class time, too, feels focused and healthy. When I’m crazed, I can feel it in my practice. I can tell by the way my mind wanders and gallops, compelling me to stop and jot notes in the midst of an asana sequence!

For me, savasana (which I discuss here) is the best barometer. I don’t even attempt savasana if my mind is too stormy. My friend Catherine says that her tadasana is affected when she’s under stress. It is harder for her to “find” her tadasana. In such pure poses, there is no hiding from the truth.

Yoga requires a regular and wholehearted effort. If you’re feeling scattered, do a focused five-minute asana rather than a lackadaisical two-hour practice. Or get your ducks in a row first.

Thanks to the auther, who goes by Yogaspy, a blogger describing herself as : I’m not really a spy. I actually do practice yoga. A lot. But I also enjoy stepping back and critically observing yoga culture, particularly in North America, where I live and where yoga is developing a distinctly Western flavor (for better or worse).

It is so true that shavasana is a good barometer as to how calm you are. Thanks for inspiring us to practice, and become calm enought to enjoy shavasana  and a yoga practice every day!  Sometimes we fill our days with too many tasks, with too much doing and not enough time for being. We can make space for yoga and that which nourishes our soul by dropping a little of the unecessary doing in our day.