Opposite Day...

In yoga class we are always encouraged to stay present and not to zone out. It is important to keep our brains focused on the postures and how your body feels. Although this may be difficult after a long day of work, it’s important to not just go through the motions. You get the full benefit of yoga when you are present.

Even if you have just a little knowledge of yoga, you probably know that focusing on the breath is important. The breath will help you achieve a presence in class. For me, it helps me bring my attention to my body and what I am feeling in each posture. Is my breath smooth and comfortable or is it choppy and harboured? Can I continue to breathe well in a difficult pose? Regardless of the answer, concentrating on the breath keeps you present in class.

To keep our brains in the class and thinking, a sneaky trick that clever yoga instructors do (which I secretly like and dislike all at the same time) is make us switch legs when sitting cross legged or switch finger arrangement when interlacing the fingers together. These tricks somehow short circuit my brain and slams me RIGHT back to the present moment. It feels so awkward, weird and unnatural but it really makes me focus. Sneaky yogis!

So this got me thinking, if doing something different or opposite really makes you think about a situation, brings you into the present moment or moves you out of your comfort zone, why not try this in your life outside of class?

LOVE this!

Think about who you are and how you react to certain situations. In tense situations do you freak out and say things you shouldn't or do you stay quiet and too afraid to speak up? Well let’s call today Opposite Friday! If you normally stay quiet, try voicing your opinions. If you tend to fly off the handle, stay contained and maybe listen what the other person is trying to say. It may not feel natural or comfortable but who knows what may happen...maybe it will be magic ;)

Try to stop concentrating on what you are NOT and concentrate on what you are. Or concentrate on the things you have and not the things you don't. To often, we concentrate so much on our negatives traits and attributes that are less than favourable. I also find that we do this to other people we meet or to our friends. Sometimes we don't notice the great things in people as we have a tendency to focus on the negative.

Sometimes when I wake up my body and back are really sore from being still for so long. During the darker days of chronic pain, I used to concentrate only on how much it hurt and how sorry I felt for myself. Now I try to have the attitude of, "I may hurt BUT at least I have the ability to get out of bed and walk today, so I guess I can manage" It could always be worse. I had to change my thinking and do something opposite. It was easy to feel sorry for myself...other people felt sorry for me too. It was harder to make a choice to feel better in my mind. I now believe a part of healing comes from your mind set. If you stay with your usual habits and ways of thinking you may not ever allow yourself the potential to discover new ways to live your life!

Try pondering that....or if you always ponder it, in spirit of Opposite Day...don't ponder it :)

Namaste xo.