Practice is...

Connecting the dots

When we step onto our yoga mats we do more than limber up. That seated side bend might lengthen your waist, your long forward can open your hamstrings, and some shoulder rolls will drain tension from your neck and upper back… These gestures of care that we make to ourselves add up to something bigger. 

When we practice the dots connect, moving us toward balance, where we are.

Have you ever felt this? If you pause in the moments after you’ve used your favourite stretch or following a yoga video you like, you probably will. Think of the difference that you feel like a collection of dots being reconnected. It’s not about downward dog, not really. It’s about activating your inner blueprint of balance, which results from aligning mind and body in the moment. This is what happens when we practice.

Moments of stress and tension accumulate in our minds and bodies as we move through our days. Imbalance is inevitable and that’s okay as long as we address it. Practice — whether 10 minutes on a yoga mat, a momentary stretch in your jeans while you wait for the microwave to warm your lunch (hello, yoga for real), or sitting quietly with yourself between meetings — is like a release valve for the imbalances we’re holding.