A morning routine
As you might have seen on my Instagram, I stopped working to take a longer break and focus on myself and my yoga practice. I’m still getting used to having loads of free time in my days, but I can tell you this much: it’s wonderful! I’m spending a lot of time reading books and listening to my favorite podcasts while trying to resist my tendency to fill up my calendar with plans. The idea for now is really to leave space for things to happen naturally and to get comfortable with doing nothing.
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve also noticed that my approach to yoga has changed a bit. While I’m still very much dedicated to my Ashtanga practice, my attention is drawn more and more to the subtle aspects of yoga. For a bit over a month now, I’ve made it a routine to start my days with a sitting practice that includes some pranayama breath work and time for meditation. I have to say that the meditation is not always going super well. Some days I’m really tired or just not focused at all (spoiler alert: if I check my phone before meditating, I’m a nervous wreck, and it’s super hard for me to sit still), but on other days I manage to calm down, breathe, and just observe my thoughts. This has gone so far that I’ve become so comfortable with this little morning ritual that sometimes I almost look forward to it more than to my physical asana practice.
My sitting practice gives me a chance to check in with myself, understand how I’m feeling that day, and recognize what’s really happening in my head. Sometimes so many busy thoughts rush through my brain that I realize I need much more quiet time like this. I spend a lot of my days with distractions, whether that’s being on my phone, listening to music or a podcast while I walk through Barcelona, or watching TV in the evenings. The moments when I’m really alone with my thoughts have become rare.
Of course, the physical yoga practice is a great way to start getting familiar with your own thoughts, but just sitting with them is an even more intense experience. I’ve found that it helps me get to know myself better and to feel how I really feel about things. Who knew that getting to know yourself this way would be so exciting!?
I know that everyone is talking about morning routines, and you might be a bit fed up with the idea, but I really want to encourage you to take a couple of minutes each day (it doesn’t have to be in the morning) and just check in with yourself to see how you are doing in that moment. If you don’t want to sit on the floor meditating, maybe you can just have a cup of tea or take a walk without listening to music. You’ll soon find that the journey of self-knowledge is an exciting adventure.
