You can take and live yoga off the mat. (happy holiday break)

What the Big Buddha is sharing today (with free WiFi @ 35,000 feet)…

po lin monastery, hong kong

How do you take and live yoga off the mat?

Did you know you can take and live yoga off the mat? (welcome to the reason htbawM exists)

This might be a curious thing to experiment with.

Upon leaving your next vinyasa/bikram/power/hatha/yin/naked yoga class write down a couple things the teacher mentioned around yoga/Buddhist/Hindu philosophy, a certain quote used in class or even specific physical instruction given you could transfer to your parenting. There’s loads for you to use and many times they’re little nuggets that are easy to remember.

It could be something as simple as “don’t forget to breathe” that resonated because of the balance between work and family lately. Or maybe it’s something like “Smile; it’s just yoga” which I’ve heard teachers say in yoga classes all over the world.  You could substitute “Smile; it’s just gum in the hair” (ha ha?). Be creative ~ helps so very much in parenting.

Even physical instruction leaves impressions we can recall and use on a more daily basis. “Shoulders away from the ears”, for example, might be a helpful reminder to walk less stressed, more upright. We’ve seen it in various pieces of research…the way you walk does have an affect on your outlook on life at that moment not to mention the act helps lessen the intensity of knots and tension held in the upper back and cervical spine. [we realize you love massages but who has the time/resources to get weekly massages?]. So walk tall.

Whatever it is, unite or “yoga” with the thought, and use it for richer Momtra moments. [Yoga definition :: to yoke or unite]. You’ll be surprised. It happens more often than not that this thing we call yoga, which gets more mainstream by the day, gifts us with curious bits to use outside the studio. We think you’ll find whatever you pay a month for each hour and half class is worth twice as much.

Your Momtra for the rest of 2010:

(parenthood) It’s 99% practice, 1% theory.

Enjoy the practice.

There is only one guru ~ you.

Merry Christmas.