Yoga outside the mat

Yoga outside the mat

By: Ifi

As the weather turns colder, I have started reflecting more about how to bring yoga outside my mat. If you are anything like me, you probably stumbled upon yoga during a time of high crisis and found that the practice helped give your mind and body a sense of peace and clarity.  It is easy for me to forget or let go of the mindfulness I gained in the practice once I’m out of class. But it is that calm, peaceful energy that keeps me coming back and it is that energy I want in the rest of the areas of my life.

I was just a year out of undergrad and was volunteering as an AmeriCorps member. I had no idea what I was doing with my future and the school I was teaching in offered a free yoga class to its teachers. During savanasa, all the anxiety and tension I was experiencing lightened and I was hooked. In my youth, I came from a dance background so I was used to constantly judging my performance, my body, and my commitment. I carried that mindset with me in all physical activities, so to practice yoga was radical. For once, I was giving permission to myself to be kind and accepting of where I was there and now. Yoga asked me to let go of what happened before and what will happen later to be present now.   

This discourse of unity and acceptance was and is very healing for me. But as wonderful as I feel on the mat, oftentimes, I do not carry that energy in my day to day life. Sage Rountree and Alexandra Desiato (2019) have this lovely quote, “yoga has always been used as a tool to help people with the daily challenges of living,” so why wouldn’t I want to take what I applied in my practice to my daily life (p. 5)?  The practice gives us the tools we need to navigate our lives. T.K.V. Desikachar (1999) wrote, “Yoga has its roots in Indian thought, but its content is universal because it is about the means by which we can make the changes we desire in our lives” (p. 6). 

Technically, yoga isn’t a workout, it is a practice looking to “yoke” oneself with the divine (Stephens, 2024). To connect oneself with something that is bigger than us, whether spiritual or not. Yoga aims to connect our movement with breath; to make every movement meaningful and mindful. To unite our physical, mental, and spiritual states.

In a class, I find it easy to be in unity with myself. But once I leave the studio… I find it just as easy to get distracted by life, feelings, noise. With that in mind here are some hopefully gentle ways to carry out the practice outside your mat:

• Take the time to notice the beauty around you. 

• Stop to take full mindful breaths. 

• Slow down

• Take a moment to mediate for a minute

• Try to look at things without judgement

• Remind ourselves we are only human- it’s ok to be upset, frustrated, or angry. We wouldn’t be human otherwise.

• Show kindness- to others and yourself

• Listen

I want to point out, this article has a very simplified definition of yoga and for a deeper understanding I recommend reading the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Upanishads and The Bhagavad Gita.

References

Desikachar, T. K. V. (1999). The heart of yoga: Developing a personal practice. Inner Traditions International. 

Rountree, S., & DeSiato, A. (2019). Teaching yoga beyond the poses: A practical workbook for integrating themes, ideas, and inspiration into your class. North Atlantic Books. 

Stephens, M. (2024). Teaching yoga: A comprehensive guide for yoga teachers and trainers. North Atlantic Books.