Metaphors on the mat

Everything that happens on the mat is a metaphor for things that happen off the mat. Sometimes life is easy and comfortable like forward fold, sometimes life is hard like chair pose.

Your yoga practice should be a place where you look into your patterns and your habits. Paying attention to the ups and downs on the mat should give you a good clue about how you deal with the ups and downs in your daily events.

Why that is? It is because yoga is about being present. Being in the moment. When you notice the why's and how's, you get a better perspective on the reflexes and auto-pilot mode we usually find ourselves in. When you notice a certain behavior on the mat, most likely you have similar behavior in your day-to-day life. Some people are very competitive, some people are reckless, some people overthink, some people get bored easily, some people get distracted easily, and the list goes on and on...

My suggestion for you in your yoga class today is: practice with full attention and notice the little things, such as the way you interlace your fingers - is it always the same? Is the leg you step back (or forward) first always the same? Do you always start things on your right side? Notice these little things and try to do them differently. Try something that will bring your attention to the moment and nothing else, this will help you notice your patterns.

Namaste