We all want to have joy, laughter and pleasure in our lives and tend to seek it in places, objects and people. The only place true happiness can be found, is within. We feel that sense of contentment when we take the time to listen to our bodies, knowing what we need at any given moment, and taking the time to care for and nourish ourselves.
I have been away from my island home and out of my normal routine for just over a month now. The mat has only been rolled out a couple of times, I’m savoring dining out and reconnecting with family and friends, travelling to new places and along with that comes the sampling of some fine wines! I embrace this time and accept that on one level my body will suffer, but on another level my heart is filled afresh.
For the next month or so I’ll be settled in a new place and enjoying new sights and experiences….and a new routine will unfold. In the last couple of days I’ve been struggling with, and feeling uncomfortable with my new yoga space. While a marble floor is a beautiful feature it’s not really a suitable yoga base. So with some embellishment yesterday evening I was ready for a practice.
To this morning….waking up with my alarm I promptly went back to sleep….an hour later when I wake again, I’m so cosy and think “well there’s no point doing yoga now”, as I’ve slept in. Lucky for me I have no plans today, no appointments, no work scheduled, no-one to look after so after listening to my little voice throwing up the pros and cons of getting to the mat, I throw off the covers and find myself at my new yoga space.
The practice I chose to do was a yin/yang combination with the focus on the lungs and large intestine meridians to stimulate respiration and circulation on a physical level, while emotionally helping to release grief and sadness. It was the perfect sequence for me today. I have been battling with bronchitis recently and have been revisited by sadness and grief in the last couple of days.
After an hour I feel strong and energized in the body, content and happy once again in my heart. Pursuing happiness this morning, as it turned out, was accomplished by getting on my mat. I managed to get past my annoying mind talk and really listen to what was best for my body and mind at that moment. My morning practice has set me up for the day.
Do you find yourself constantly in pursuit of happiness….what does it take for you to find contentment? For me, arriving on my yoga mat no matter what….helps me find contentment - What is your “yoga mat”?