It was rather a serendipitous happenstance that I found the gift of Yoga.  I was aimlessly browsing through some ‘close-out’ items just after Christmas at a bookstore and a Yoga dvd with instructional book caught my attention.  After a very brief consideration and on a whim (at least it seemed at the time) I purchased the item.  I really had no knowledge of Yoga other that it was a mysterious exercise practice from a world far removed from mine.  My best explanation for this purchase was that as a child I had taken traditional tap (my favorite!), ballet (because it was good for me) and jazz (just for fun!) dance classes and despite wanting to return to them as an adult had found my obligations to my family out weighed my obligations to myself.  I rationalized to myself this purchase was my way of filling that desire. 

The dvd and book remained unopened for several months.  I still believed Yoga mainly focused on flexibility, something that I had never had a lack of. Life was happening and there just didn’t seem to be enough time in a day to allow for something that was surely just enjoyment for myself.  Eventually the nagging thought of wasted money prompted me to open the package and explore what the dvd offered.  I finally found a morning when the kids were at school, my husband peacefully sleeping (he worked nights throughout his career) and I allowed myself the luxury of doing this entirely for myself.  I was hooked.  Yes, the poses did challenge my flexibility a bit but they also provided a foundation to build some strength that I desperately needed.  Just as beneficial but totally surprising was the peace the practice brought to me.  A tranquility, a quiet joy that I was able to take with me into my day.  What I didn’t know or understand at the time was this benefit was manifested from the breathing techniques used as well as the brief periods of introspection with quiet music and water sounds the instructor had placed between poses.  

Unfortunately, as I have so often done in the past, once I began to feel centered on a regular basis I began skipping those pauses, the brief lapses of rest with deep breathing and just being present that were built into the flow between the poses.  Instead, I focused on the poses.  I focused on racing to the end of the practice.  Because doing and productivity are key, down time is wasteful. Or so I believed.

Though I continued to practice Yoga a few days a week and still felt it was beneficial, it had lost its magical transformative energy for me.  Until the day my husband wanted to join me.  As a new inductee into the practice he asked that we follow the instruction from the beginning to the end exactly as the instructor had set the practice.  No fast forwarding, no racing to get started with the ‘real’ work of the day.  He wanted to make sure he fully understood the practice and poses and also wanted the time for his body to adjust between.  How wise his request was.  The magic that I had been missing returned.  The quiet centeredness throughout the day that I had so enjoyed entered my life again and it was at that point I realized how important the pauses, the brief respite of breathing and looking within were.  Yes, the movement was wonderful and healthy but so was the stillness and just being.  

So when I find myself careening along because there just seems to be too many things to do I remind myself of this lesson.  It is the journey that is important and not the destination.

Wishing you a heartfelt journey during quiet and busy times!

~♥~