Start where you are
Did you know that yoga for me is so much more than a fitness routine? It's a living practice that both enriches my life, and makes my life possible.
Today's practice with my yoga teacher Kristine Weber has been wonderful for shifting the energy in my body, bringing me into a really calm and energised state. My shoulders and back feel free and supple, legs strong, and I am sitting taller at my desk as I write this. My mind is focused, clear and I am aware of my body.
This is the feeling that I come home to in my yoga practice. Today it feels like settling into confidence, a grounded feeling that reassures me I can tackle my 'to do' list without overwhelm and frazzlement.
I love to work with specific sequences that support nervous system regulation and self-awareness with plenty of reflection space integrated into the practice. I feel into different sensations as we move through the postures, pauses and breathwork. With curiosity, noticing what comes up, and how it changes as I practice. These are the tools I offer to my students when they practice with me.
It is true to say that I often come to my yoga mat with a list of busy thoughts and 'must do's' trying to tempt me away from my practice. I also bring a feeling of concern for those I care for, that are suffering at the moment. Like many people, I have a list of worries/concerns/negative thoughts that I bring with me into the practice. It can feel ridiculous to show up for self-care when there is so much suffering, but I have learned that it is vital to show up on the mat anyway, dress comfortably (it's freezing in North Yorkshire), and just begin where I am. (When this isn't possible I inhale two drops of wild orange oil from my palms and plan to set aside time to practice later on.)
Why bother to come to the mat at all, you may ask.
Well, to put it simply, by the end of the practice today my state of mind and body felt completely transformed. I love spending a few moments inhaling a few drops of eucalyptus oil which helps me enjoy deep breathing and meditation at the end of practice.
I have so much gratitude for my teachers, particularly Kristine, who has taught me so much and continues to inspire me so I can teach my students.
P.S. My practice is slower than a dynamic vinyasa style, with an emphasis on mindful movement and breath, so it looks VERY different sped up and condensed into the short clip I attached to this post when I shared it on Instagram. But I like to see the symmetry of the practice and the range of movements that have helped me feel so much better in my body today.
How do you feel when you come to the mat for yoga or any movement practice you enjoy?
I don't believe you have to be feeling ready or worthy of a self-care practice, if that isn't how you feel today. But I do know that you can start exactly where you are, and you will feel so much better when you find a way to move that your body loves.
With so much gratitude, wishing you a happy and healthy 2025 x Liz
