Doing yoga in my living room this morning sure felt a lot like the hot yoga I did a few days ago in a class in Detroit. The weather has been really hot for the past few days, reaching into the mid-30s (°C). Our house, which benefits from a couple of window unit air conditioners, just can't cool off sufficiently. On the other hand, the heat generated a terrific sweat, and enabled me to get really deep into my postures, and hold them for long periods of time. Pros and cons, as always.
I tried to apply what I had learned from class the other day, and paid attention to how I was balancing, as well as trying to synchronize my breath with my movements. I notice that when I am really conscious of breathing, not only am I more successful with my movements, but it really assists in clearing my mind and helping me to stay in the present. Mentally, today's practice was extremely satisfying.
A few days ago, in Detroit, I met up with a guy who had done a round of P90X. He looked fantastic, was really enthusiastic, and had that mental toughness and competitive edge that I find in people who are X'ers. With one exception: he didn't do yoga. He told me that although he tried it several times, he just couldn't get into it. Personally, I found that to be a shame, because he looked so good and had embraced every other aspect of the program. I believe that yoga is really necessary to succeed with the program. It teaches your mind discipline, which can benefit you in so many ways. It's hard, but so rewarding. Patience is something we just don't have enough of today. Everyone wants everything instantly: faster internet service, faster food service, faster delivery service. Everything is just now, now, NOW. Slow down, take a deep breath, be conscious of what it feels like to inhale and exhale, be aware of what you're doing when you chew your food.
Namaste.
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