Life Lessons Learned from the Mat

From owner Lori Rogers rogers marketing and positive activities

I love books All you really need to know is everything you learned in kindergarten.by Robert Fulghum. This is a wonderful book about the “rules” of life learned in kindergarten. Fulghum describes behaviors that we can continue with throughout our lives. Say please and thank you, have friends, take naps, pay attention to traffic, live a balanced life, look out for each other, be fair, and more. My yoga practice has taught me more “rules” of life.

Yoga teaches you to be present and listen to your breathing, to stay on your mat and eliminate distractions, to breathe calmly in the midst of heat, sweat, and effort, and to listen to your body. They are taught to listen to voices and take a break if they fall. Regardless of the pose, believe in your strength and strength. The instructor ends the class with a positive statement: “Today, be on your mat and put what you practiced today to use.” What exactly does that mean?

After a year of practicing, I began to realize that my yoga practice was more than just a fitness routine, it was teaching me new skills. I love the strength and flexibility that practice gives me, but practice is so much more than that.

Be here now and return to your breathing

In a yoga class, you want to stay focused, be present in the room, and connect mind, body, and soul in poses. When another thought comes to mind, acknowledge it and say thank you, “I’ll get back to you later.” And send them on their way. Go back to listening to your breathing. Off the mat, I try to focus on the job at hand (writing this article). I always try to be present and really “in” conversations with friends. (I don’t think about to-do lists.) When I work with clients, I connect them with their needs and the project at hand. (I’m not thinking about the pile of laundry.) Just like yoga, it takes practice. Remember, we refer to yoga as a “yoga practice.”

Survive the storm

Our instructors will teach you breathing techniques to get you through difficult times. Imagine a 95 degree hot studio, 4 rows of 60 mats, sweat running down your forehead and down your chin onto the mats, the smell, the moans, the effort… Oh, calm down and breathe intensely. Extend your arms, place the front of your quads at a 90-degree angle (or close to it) to the floor, and do your best to reach the ground with your back leg extended straight behind you. Muscles tense, become strong, burn hot… Oh, calm down, breathe through the emotions, sensations, slight pain. This too shall pass… boom. I realized that I needed to use this skill in other areas of my life.