Yoga Home Practice

I am in the second week of a gentle, at-home yoga practice.

I like to think I look like this while practising:

Yeah, and I like to think my house looks like that too!

In reality I'm sure I look more like I've fallen and I can't get up. 

It doesn't really matter how I look. I practice alone. Besides, my goal isn't to look like the lovely woman pictured above. Good thing, as that boat sailed about 20 years ago. (OK, maybe 25 years ago. Whatever.)

I may share my goals at some point, if I ever figure out what they are well enough to put them into words. Right now the reasons behind why I started are less important than the fact that I have started. I've always wanted a morning practice, but I kept putting it off. I finally got tired of waiting for the right time.

Once I made up my mind getting started was easy. I have a friend who teaches yoga. (This is the same friend who suggested the Sketchbook Project. In retrospect, I wonder if that invitation was a ploy to get me so stressed that I needed the yoga.) I outlined what I wanted and emailed her a list of my ouchies. In exchange for lunch, some farmers market items and a reasonable fee I got a personalized plan, and she came to my home to help me get started. I've managed to practice EVERY DAY since we first met.

I've had some help getting to the mat each morning. Once I had an actual plan I put the word out on Facebook. I asked people to "like" my status when they noticed an update about a yoga session. Yep, there I was, once again making rash announcements on a social media site. A similar comment got me committed to following up on the sketchbook;I figured it had to help here too.

I am amazed and honoured by the support I've been getting. I'm "friends" with some incredibly busy people, yet many have managed to take a moment out of their day to "like" my activities. People I haven't seen in years are offering encouragement. On days when I've really needed it, a postive comment has appeared like magic. I can't tell you how much it has meant to me, and how much it has helped. There are varying opinions about how long it takes to form a new habit. Thanks to my virtual cheerleaders yoga is becoming part of my daily schedule much faster than I expected.

I meet with my yoga-teaching friend tomorrow to refine and update my plan. I can't wait.