om body
Let me be clear, I’m not here to bash
teachers, they’re dedicated and passionate
and accomplish much in their allotted time.
As for the studios, shortening classes is
profit driven. I can’t fault them for that either.
I’ve also recently spoken to studio owners
who say students say they simply don’t
have the time for an hour and a half long
class. So, commit to protect what you have
and allow me to show you effective ways to
deepen your practice.
Everyone has 15 minutes in their day.
To maximise the effect of these precious
minutes, I offer you three secrets to
deepening your practice:1
Daily Self-Check In. Classes used to
dedicate more time at the beginning of
class to getting grounded in your body.
Spend 15 minutes every morning doing a
self-check-in. A journal can be helpful but
not necessary. I use one because I find it
visually holds me to task.
Dedicate a small space solely for your
check-in. I know this can be a challenge, but
the results are dramatic when you have a
peaceful corner to call your own. Sit. Close
your eyes. Breathe. Feel your body. No
judgement, just awareness. Give gratitude
for all your body does for you. Ask your
body what it needs today. Open your eyes
and note what you feel or a message you
receive. Continue to check-in with your
intellect, your emotional and your spiritual
self. I learned this simple process later in life,
but feel it is the single most life enhancing
transformational tool I have in my ever-
expanding yoga toolkit.2
Dissect any aspect of a pose.
Assign yourself a pose or, better yet,
something very specific about a pose
for a week.Example: Hand placement in plank.
Plank is one of my favourite poses to
dissect because a strong core is essential
to a healthy yoga practice and life. In most
classes Plank is not held in a static position
for very long. All too often, we move from
Plank, down through Chaturanga Dandasana
to upward facing postures repetitively.
Proper hand placement affects your wrists,
shoulders, back and total body alignment.
For proper hand placement, the weight must
be distributed evenly, giving attention to the
first finger and thumb all while paying attention
to the pads of each finger. Practice this while
at your desk or any table. Then, when you’re
ready, stand facing a wall or by placing yourhands on the floor in forward fold.
Place hands evenly apart spreading
your fingers. Concentrate on pressing
down through the knuckles at the base of
the index and middle fingers, and grip the
surface with the tips of all four fingers and
the thumb. This will cause the arch of the
hand to slightly lift, distributing your weight
evenly so it’s not on the heel of the hand.Breathe
3
Savasana anytime, anywhere.
Meditation or your form of time-
out. Call it what you want. Stare at a
candle if it quiets your mind. You don’t have
to do a physical posture to get into this
pose. My home Savasana is an art journal. I
sit without a goal other than listening to my
inner voice, my spiritual self.
You need Savasana. Why? If studios only
allow five minutes or less, you’ve missed
out on the most important asana. Here’s
my myth buster: It’s only been in the last
hundred years that yoga poses were created.
They were part of a global movement that
combined religion and spirituality with
western ideas of athletic and physical
training. The Indian yogis Krishnamacharya
and Kuvalayanda, influenced by the western
ideas of exercise and athleticism as a
gateway to stillness, established the health
and fitness regime that dominates the yoga
movement today. Bottom line, you need to
bring Savasana back into your practice – no
matter where you practice the pose.
I encourage you to try one of the above
for a month. Instead of thinking you only
have 15 minutes, let’s celebrate that you
have those minutes and use them wisely. Let
the promises you’ve heard of extending your
practice into your day happen for you.
Whether your 15 minutes is spent on the
floor in Corpse Pose, standing and moving
while breaking down a pose or sitting upright
in a chair writing, I assure you doing so will
deepen the physical aspects of your studio
practice. As you tune into yourself you will
extend that back into the yoga studio and
the rest of your day.This is what I see
as living Real Yoga
If you want to take your practice beyond
the asanas and into the other eight limbs
of yoga, information is available through a
variety of sources, including this publication.
But if you’re pressed for time, money or
opportunities, carve out 15 minutes today
and get started on my secret tips and start
your new life of Real Yoga.