Finding time for yoga
One of the tricks in finding time for yoga is remembering to include it in your day. There are things we never forget to do and that we do without question: eat, brush our teeth, wash the dishes, watch our favorite shows. These are all the habits we breeze through, things we don’t necessarily see as items on the to-do list.
Sometimes at the end of a typical day, I look back and think, “What did I do today?” My answer is usually: nothing big and eventful, but somehow I felt busy. The day fills up with dozens of little tasks: sweep the floor, pay bills, get myself and the kids dressed and ready for the day, make meals, wash the dishes, send a few emails, go for a walk. How do I fit yoga in? Which one of these little tasks do I let go of so that I can have 5-10 minutes to get on my mat to move and breathe? Sometimes (often!) I leave some dishes in the sink or save the emailing and bill paying for later.
Often I bring yoga into my day by infusing an ordinary activity with some kind of yogic awareness (think: mindfulness). I love the practice of noticing my body and breath while I do housework; feeling grounded through my feet as I sweep the floor, breathing more deeply while I wash dishes, or taking the opportunity to stretch my hips and legs as I squat down to pick up toys off the floor. It’s surprisingly refreshing to link these menial tasks with a yogic state of mind and a shift in posture.
But, I’m also all about stopping what I’m doing for 30 seconds, a minute, or a few minutes to practice with more focused attention. Many moms complain they can’t find time for yoga, but everyone can find a minute or a few minutes to pause for a little yoga break.
Yoga props right under your nose
That’s where the kitchen counter comes into play for me. It can be a nifty spontaneous yoga prop and lucky for me, it’s a place where I spend a lot of time (I love to cook!). But if you don’t tend to pass much of your day there, then the kitchen table, the back of a chair, a nearby wall, or even a couch can serve you pretty well in these situations.
Here are some of my favorites:
Wall hang or kitchen counter hang. Think of the alignments of adho mukha svanasana (downward dog) but with your hands at the wall or resting on the kitchen counter (or table, or back of chair, etc…). See the photo right at the beginning of this section.
Supported Virabhadrasana 1 (Warrior 1). Legs in alignment for Virabhadrasana 1 but with arms reaching forward and hands resting on counter.
Supported Virabharasana 3 (Warrior 3). See the photo at the beginning of the post!
Variations of Parighasana (Gate Pose) or Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana. As long as you don’t mind having your foot on the kitchen counter. Otherwise, try it on the back of a chair or on a lower surface like the seat of a chair or the couch. See the photo below:)
The Nitty Gritty
Ok, now I can’t help sharing some refinements. Here’s my two cents on the finer points that matter the most in practicing with these fun furniture props.
Last Tuesday I shared some ideas about yoga for the toes. Let’s bring that into play here as we practice standing poses at the kitchen counter. Feel your feet on the ground, shift your weight side to side and front to back to feel how your toes support you. Then, to release tension, bend your knees a little to give your back a break, relax your face and jaw on every exhale.
And then, the most central thing to focus on: the hips. The way to have the most control of spinal alignment is to bring the hips into the right position. Tilting hips forward helps forward bends and tucking hips helps backward bends. Think of cat-cow pose: in cow, hips tilt forward while in cat, hips tuck. Try the same movements standing and see how your spine responds.
Remember, remember
Mamas, all these details are the things we tend to dwell on: put my foot here or there? Twist my hips this way or that? Inhale or exhale while I move this way? These things are important, but what’s more important is how the pose feels in your body. So go ahead and put your own slight spin on these poses. Go ahead and bend your knees a little, wiggle your shoulders and hips, circle your neck. Loosen it up! Don’t feel like you need to strike the most perfect pose.
Above all, remember to do it! Remembering to practice for a minute or two during your busy day is an act of self-love and a sign of dedication to your yoga practice.
Jai Ma! Now put away this post and practice some yoga:)
Every Friday I’ll post ideas and inspiration for practicing yoga with kids and every Tuesday I’ll share a micropractice that helps busy moms (and dads and kids, and really anyone) to incorporate brief yoga practices into their day. Here’s the post to kick off this biweekly series that will last until the end of the year!