Do or do not, there is no try- Yoda

Do or do not, there is no try- Yoda

Trying too hard to do anything is counterproductive.  We try too hard to breath. Too hard to relax. Too hard to this asana just right.  Too hard at our jobs, as parents, as friends, community.  So what if while doing your practice you take out the try.  There is NO TRY.  Just do the pose.  Do the breath.  You aren’t trying to do anything…you are doing yoga.

Being the new year many have created resolutions or intentions.  Sometimes that brings in something new, but sometimes it is letting go.  And in that letting go what is usually happening is we are trying.  We consider the past, present, future – instead of doing.  What if one breath equated do or do not – no try.

The first step in doing is accepting you are trying.  This past weekend my lower back started to feel some twinges.  Instead of trying to work it out I considered, what am I holding on to too tight? What am I trying to let go of too hard.  And I sat.  I realized I can do or do not – let go or hold on.  With that, I just am.  I am. So hum.

 

Warm Up:  Breathing/ to four equal parts breath/samavrtti

**Sitting Twist/Thread the Needle/Knee to Nose: break down

                                                                                Knee to knee/plank knee/knee nose/plank knee/3 leg dog

**Into low lunge/high fingertips/lift knee twist lunge

**DD/jumping handstands

**Sun Salutes/4 breath counts

**Chair/Twist           **DD knee to nose   **DD high fingertips

**lunge twist/flat palm/arm back and open pulse  **DD fingertips

**Chair/pulse open

**Side crane   **Center balance toes platter    **Side crane

**Utrasana/Camel

**Hero/Half Twist/Gomukasana Eagle arms

 

Om.

6am yoga

I spent the entire week with my alarm set at 5am in anticipation for today's class.

It's Saturday and most folks I've realized, as much as they want to get up and go,

they don't want to get up and go do yoga at 6am.

I'm ok with that.

Mostly.

Of course I dream of 10 people walking through the doors, dying to do yoga.

In reality, I am lucky to have 5.

Today, I had 2.

Really one, but there were two other women that started exercising at 5:15am and one decided to stay for this class...so one plus one equals 2 :)

I made the decision last night that I would get up, drink one cup of coffee and get ready.

What that meant this morning was getting up at 5, letting the dogs out, letting them in, drinking one cup of coffee sitting on my mat and chanting to wake up my voice.

I realized mid-week that as much as I like getting up early, I don't really talk. So, being prepared today, I chanted on the mat and walking in the crisp, frosty air.

The air doesn't really hang in the winter. It dissolves quickly. I noticed by the time I got over the tracks that my body heat was picking up and I could easily walk in the cold air. I used to do it consistently. Now, I feel fortunate when I have the opportunity to walk. So, I walked down the street, beeped myself in and unknowingly came upon two exercising women who were just as surprised to see me.

The one who stayed, I believe, was meant to stay. It was meant to happen. We have been talking yoga for a few years now and she had a certain amount of trepidation about it. Even this morning I had to do a little coaxing, but I could tell she enjoyed it enough to possibly do it again.

After class I walked back home in the dark. It was only 7am. My family was still asleep.

I got to drink another cup of coffee, write and officially begin my day when the rest of the world sees fit.

Namaste.