Last Wednesday I decided that Thursday morning I'd get up at 5am and practice the full primary series. I can't even remember now what state of mind I was in when I made this decision, had I had a moment of insanity??! Nevertheless, I did it, set my alarm for 5am, got up, had a cup of tea, had a shower and hit the mat.
I guess that something in my life had to change. My practice has mainly been in the evenings for the past four years, but with me now teaching as well as cooking, doing paintings and yoga homework, watching Come Dine With Me etc etc, my evenings were ridiculously busy, leaving little time for any other life pursuits. I have been thinking to myself recently and for a while it seems, "Why not try an early morning practice?" But I didn't even entertain it until Wednesday.
Isn't it funny how sometimes you have to catch yourself at the right moment? You know?
And it seems that I caught myself at exactly the right moment, when it WAS going to work for me and I've now maintained the 5am start for a week, a whole week! It's a bit momentous I have to say, I'm still quite taken aback by the ease of my commitment, but all I can say is that it MUST have been exactly the right time to do this. BTW it has been found that people are more likely to keep up a change of habit, e.g. quit smoking, if they just do it and do not wait until a certain date, for instance the 1st January.
The other thing is I haven't even been practicing 6 days a week. I know, I know, what kind of yogi am I?!!
But again, it was just fitting it in! I've also been blaming it on getting back to fitness..my knee injury and all that... I've been practicing 3-4 days a week since about April to let my knee repair. 6 has always seemed a bit excessive....for my knee!
No more excuses.
I have realised recently that I hate people making poor excuses not to do things. Especially things that are without a doubt are going to benefit them. I think it annoys me so much because I used to be one of those people and now I'm overly aware when I meet those with the same excuses. I'm not saying I'm perfect, I know I'm not, but I am aware that I have to make changes to benefit my life.
In the words of the Editors, "If something needs to change then it always will". People should make the changes if and when they need to be made. I know it's sometimes easy to say it, but take the chances when they arrive, and when the time is right to make the changes you will know and the best thing is, is that it will be amazingly easy!! JUST DO IT!
So, back to my practice. This week has been awesome. I've learned a lot about myself in just one little week. I have discipline when I thought I did not. I am a morning person. I'm not completely stiff in the mornings. I enjoy going to bed early!
I thought I'd try and find 10 reasons to practice early morning Mysore style ashtanga yoga. (There might be more, there might be less, let us see...)
1. You have more time in the evenings to do other pursuits as you don't have your practice to think about.
2. You will feel energised for the day's work.
3. It gives a focus to your day which you will always achieve.
4. You will feel a sense of achievement even before your "normal" day begins.
5. You will change other aspects of your life so that your practice is easier, for example, eating earlier and different foods, getting more rest, running less after money, indulging less, basically being more mindful and watchful.
6. You will become less lazy. (Contraversial?)
7. It will increase your ability to make other commitments.
8. It makes you more grateful that you can practice every day.
9. You will actually be able to listen to the World Service and shipping forecast. (Clutching at straws here?) (But I like it :)
10. You are more likely to catch a beautiful sunrise........ (My favourite reason) x
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