Not to be snotty but I have maintained a daily practice for over a decade. It became my touchstone during a very difficult time and has remained so ever since. Through my practice, I breathe myself into a place of action rather than reaction. Allowing my postures and meditative practices to become a reflection of where I am currently.
When you practice something daily, in whatever discipline you choose, that practice will grow and change and shift with time. Although now my practice is a mirror for my current state of being it took a very long time for it to become so. When I first started with Yoga, my type A-personality was desperate for perfection in my practice (and life in general). I forced myself to bend and shift, stretch and strain, even in my meditations. To be honest, there was an unhealthy forcefulness with how I came to the mat and manipulated myself through my practice.
After many years of pushing myself in every direction, I went down for the count with chronic fatigue. That time in my life, although it at first appeared like a curse, was really a blessing. Over several years I used Yoga, Reiki, and Hypnosis to heal myself. It was during that time of healing that I realized yoga is not about perfection. Quite simply, that is why it is called: practice. As my perception shifted, how I engaged in practice shifted as well. Instead of force, I began to move to my mat with compassion and make inquiries into the nature of my mind, body, and spirit.
Those first few breaths on the mat, direct my entire practice now: maybe it will be gentle, maybe it will be Kundalini, or maybe it will be Vinyasa with too many sun salutations to count. Without the need for perfection, my focus is instead on making the effort, being open, and going for it. I believe now that practice is simply an open palm of welcome, inviting you to try.
