Hot Off The Mat is taking a summer savasna, but will be back with weekly posts in August. In the meantime, I will be sharing oldies but goodies on Hot Off The Mat’s Facebook page each week. Thanks so much for reading!
Namaste and enjoy the summer!
Did Practicing Non-Attachment Really Work?
I have always approached new concepts and ideas with a healthy amount of skepticism, so I came to the concept of non-attachment in a similar way. But I think it might actually be working! As I understand it, non-attachment is a state in which a person becomes less attached or reliant on things, people or concepts of the world to achieve happiness and peace. For example, if you don’t get your typical spot in the yoga room, it is not a cause for anxiety or stress. Or if you don’t get that many comments on a particular blog post, it does not ruin your day (smile). Or if you get a scathing email from someone you trusted and always felt understood your best intentions, you don’t fire off a hasty reply and regret it later. Yeah, that last one.
Do You Ever Forget How To Breathe?
Sometimes, I forget how to breathe. Does this ever happen to you? Most often, this happens when I am concentrating on my breathing, like during the opening Bikram breathing exercise. When it is at its worst, I sometimes have to take a quick in and out breath while I am waiting for others to finish exhaling. This is especially true when the teacher is a slow counter. Rarely do I lose my breath to that extent during the rest of class, although sometimes in camel, but that’s another story.
Boy, Did I Need Bikram Yoga This Week
This week was a rough one. Whatever I did, it was wrong. Whatever step I took, it was leading in the wrong direction. I had to redo basic tasks multiple times to get them right. My computer died and my hastily purchased new one didn’t work either. My children were on their worst possible behavior and my foundation work keep hitting roadblocks. And it was 50 degrees outside —in June! My frustration level was so high that I started to snap at everyone in sight. Never a good response. The kicker — I couldn’t get to yoga for 4 days straight.
I Think My Yoga Practice Saved Me From Real Injury
Last week I was walking down the street in NYC and a woman hip-checked me. It was an accident. She felt terrible. But I went flying. I had the presence of mind to stick my foot out to try to regain my balance, but I happened to be near one of the tree planters that line the streets, so there was nowhere for my foot to go. The world started to move in slow-motion as I felt my ankle bump into the planter and my body go down. I remember thinking, “You are actually falling. You are going to hit the ground. I hope I don’t break my ankle.” Boom. I landed in the planter on my side. I had not been able to catch my fall with my hands.
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