BTL Welcome Mat
The Case for Making Time to Practice
“We wear our busyness like a badge.”
–The Yamas and Niyamas by Deborah Adele
Busyness is honored in our society.
We are told that when we are busy we are useful and worthy.
Yet busyness can be one of the largest barriers to showing up on our mat.
Our to do lists are so long that we often feel overwhelmed and binging Netflix can feel easier than making intentional space for yoga practice.
It’s so important to make time to check in with yourself at the beginning of practice.
So for a few minutes we closed our eyes and, with her guidance, took a moment to just breathe.
And you know what?
Even in that brief moment of breath, something shifted.
Lighter. Easier. More connected.
This week we’re exploring making time for practice and why it’s oh so worth it.
Journal Prompt
Grab a journal and a pen. Take a moment to dive in and reflect on the following.
What story or script have I told myself about my time and why I can’t show up and be present on the mat?
Set a timer for one minute. List as many scripts as you can think of. What do you say? What do other’s say?
What do I feel like after I practice?
List out what you remember from past classes. Try to go there as much as you can.
Have you ever had a time when you started class a little grouchy, and left feeling amazing? Have you ever found yourself so glad you pushed yourself to show up? Write it all down.
What we say about making time
When we discussed our personal narratives about time and what is keeping us from the mat, some common themes emerged.
1. I’m retired and I don’t have a long to do list anymore. Yet I still can’t find the motivation to practice. In a society that values busyness it can be a huge adjustment to no longer have a set schedule.
2. Being at home is distracting. Full of reminders of all the things that we should be doing, that is. When there is laundry to do, and people to feed and clean up after, and little tasks that never seem to end, it’s so hard to quiet the endless to-do list and make time to show up on the mat.
3. I can’t fit this into my schedule. Sometimes scheduling this time onto our calendar can be a way to make sure we show up, like having Welcome Mat every Monday at 7:30. And we discover that we actually do have a window for practice, because we have made one!
Try this at home: make a date with ONE class this week. Next week, make another date. Sometimes we just need to know we can do it. And once you’re in a rhythm, you can always add more.
4. I don’t have enough time. Carving out practice time doesn’t always have to mean a 60-minute class. It could be showing up for 5 minutes and focusing on breath. As one person noted, something is better than nothing, for your body and mind.
5. My time doesn’t feel like my own. Our children. our partners, work, family, other commitments can make us feel like we are constantly juggling the needs of so many other people. But we also have to take care of ourselves. Not only do we feel better, we also show up better for all the other people, and responsibilities, in our lives.
