31 Days of Yoga and Meditation: Day 2

I took my yoga workout outside today, and it was great. I've been doing the same old dvd's for weeks now (off and on anyway). I wanted something different. So with my yoga mat in hand, I settled in the middle of the yard to do some basic floor poses and stretches, a couple of warrior stances and a balancing pose or two. (That's me to the right - I'm hoping there are less jiggly bits in a couple of months.)

An odd thing happened. While I was doing a lying down spinal twist, I started noticing the world around me. It was hot and muggy, not pleasant outdoor exercise weather at all. A rain storm was about to break any second, and I could hear thunder off in the distance. Then a murder of crows landed in our oak trees. There must have been a hundred or more, all squawking and yammering. What awesome foci!

Yoga hurts. It never stops hurting. If you get stronger and more flexible, there is always a more advanced way to do each pose. It will always hurt.

The stretching and strength building is not the most important part of yoga. Sure it is important. It makes the body strong, stretches the spine and releases tension and toxins in the joints, but the controlled use of breath to lengthen the stretch, straighten the alignment and breathe through the pain is why I do yoga.

And while outside in some painful pose or another I was able to breathe in the sky, the wind, the birds singing and transcend the discomfort.

One thought I had today, as I was outside doing yoga with my kids sitting inside (the girls watching the boys) and feeling the twinge of guilt for being so "decadent," is why do women, mothers especially, feel guilty for doing things that are good for them. Exercise, meditation, or anything that takes time away from the family - guilt. I read the same sentiment in the blog of a friend who just started an exercise program. We moms feel that unless it benefits the family, we should de-prioritize it. We can do it when everyone else is settled and all of our duties are taken care of.

But the irony is that when we take the time to exercise, meditate, garden, bead, blog or whatever it takes to make us feel once more like real people, we are happier with ourselves, nicer to those around us and less likely to stress out about all the little things. So I'm taking the time for myself - after all 25 minutes a day isn't a lot.

And what I've discovered is that rather than begrudging us this time and space, most people support. We're the only ones with feelings of selfishness and guilt. Everyone around us thinks it's wonderful that we do this for ourselves. Husbands support us and offer to take on extra duties (like putting the kids to bed) to give us what we need.

So it's an internal thing that needs to be stamped out!