yoga is the long game but its the way home

A few weeks back I was having a session with my mentor and she said something that really resonated with me. "Remember that Yoga is the long game ". 

Above all, it is the work that matters the most. 

The work that matters so much because it's the work that brings us home. To ourselves. To the feeling that we are supported. Stable. Steady. A DEEP grounded, knowing feeling, that as my teacher Yogarupa Rod Stryker would say, "There's a part of me that can handle it all". 

It heals our nervous systems, bringing us back to a state where our immunity, digestion, mental capacity and overall well being is charged and balanced. 

Grounded. Stable. Resilient. 

The long game is the CONSTANT work of  "Remembering yourself home" as Toko -Pa Turner says. And although it can and often does, make you feel better pretty quickly, the unfolding and remembering yourself home, breath by breath, again and again and again, happens, SLOWLY.  

To reveal the light takes time and it is the long game. 
To do this, you Create a daily rhythm in your life, whatever it is and remember this is different from your exercise.Yoga is NOT exercise. so separate that thought out. 

Your daily ritual could be:
early morning movement/walks/nature/meditations painting/drawing/journaling/singing/mantra/ breath work/prayers/offerings/tea/coffee. 

According to the Yogic tradition and NOW science, especially the work on the Vagus Nerve, the four things you need to be doing in your daily rhythm are: 
1. Posture & Movement: Movements likes Yoga asana, that take the spine and joints through their full range of movement. 
2. Breathing: Ujaii Breath ( gentle constriction of back of the throat) Sama Vritti and then lengthening out the exhale and finally Nadhi Shodhana. 
3. Vocalisation: Chanting and Singing stimulate the nerves c near the vagus nerve and help tone this area. 
4. Behaviour: Self Compassion and metta meditations. 
​

Just make it daily and allow it to evolve and serve you as needed. 
Serving you to become steady. Grounded. Stable.Resilient.

See you in class for some daily rhythm creation