For the past several months I have been placing a heightened degree of attention on my breath. As a teacher I have always emphasized the breath in the classroom setting. This was relatively easy because I had the "trigger" (to put it in behavioral science language) of standing in front of a class.
It didn't occur to me to set up other triggers in daily life to breathe consciously until recently. Here is what Michael and I have been doing. We have been taking silent walks together. I think of these walks as moving meditations. I will bring a mala bead necklace with me and count every breath. Sometimes I switch from counting my breaths to internal repetition of a mantra. The mantra I use is "Om." According to Yoga, this is the primordial sound of creation, the word denoting God. The consistent practice of breath awareness causes a wonderful shift in my nervous system, a deepening of relaxation.
Anyways, what does that have to do with practicing Yoga in the summer? Well, most people are more lazy in the summer. One might mistakenly believe that more laziness equals more relaxation. I disagree. I have found the best way to relax is through consistent contrast of having just worked hard. So what do you get in a Yoga class? The perfect mix of hard work and relaxation!
As a long time Yogi, I am mindful not to lose sight of my discipline in the summer. I have heard that when someone goes against the grain of the norm, they gain more momentum than when using the same momentum as everyone else.
For example, if you make a commitment to stay healthy in mind/body for the summer and you stick to that commitment, it could potentially be much more powerful than making a health commitment at the same time as everyone else- i.e. New Years.
Perhaps we are rewarded for doing the hard thing. Our 12 week yoga asana courses and 8 week mind art courses start April 30th. We would love for you to make a commitment. This week is our last week of early bird sign ups. Join us for a wonderful summer of yoga, health, meditation and self love. You will thank yourself that you did.