As yoga becomes more than just a physical practice and an intrinsic part of your life, you begin to see a glimpse of what is offered beyond the postures you are practising; an illuminated path showing you the way to living and achieving a happy, healthy and fulfilled life.
Yoga teaches us patience. We have all heard this at some point but do we really understand its meaning? Well I offer an explanation which goes beyond just being patient to achieve the postures you desire. This starts with the breath. Breath is obviously the main focus of yoga; not only does it guide you through your practice, but it enables you to remain within your safe physical limit. Your breath is also a pure reflection of your life. When you are practising, do you find your breathing shallow and rushed? Chances are your life is much the same and so from here you can begin to see that yoga, in all its facets, is actually a parallel practice to the practice of life, your life.
Sometimes when we feel stuck in our yoga practice, this can be an indication of an area we may be struggling with off the mat, in our life. I often find that if you are ignoring something, it will persist through your practice until you realise there is an issue in your life you really need to address. This is not to say that you have to focus on every aspect of your practice so as to take away your enjoyment and natural flow of the practice. Our innate nature has a way of letting us know when something requires our attention. Trust the process.
In teaching us patience, yoga is asking us to slow down, breathe fully and deeply, savouring each inhale and exhale as we move patiently through our practice enjoying each moment we are in, as we are in it. Take this guidance to your life and you'll notice a very different outcome to the way you live your life, one which is less stressed and where patience becomes a natural way of being. Patience makes way for acceptance and life becomes more enjoyable and certainly less hurried and fraught.
Be patient and practice and trust the flow of the parallel practice that yoga gives us, guiding us on and off the mat.
Shelley Costello is a yoga teacher, writer and wellness coaching helping others to overcome challenge and change to live a happier, healthier and more fulfilled life.
A qualified yoga teacher and life coach, she has studied many areas of wellness to include nutrition, relaxation, Ayurveda, meditation, relaxation, Indian Head massage, Buddhism and different self development programmes and techniques.
Shelley has published two books and several articles with the International Yoga Magazine. She writes and publishes articles regularly on self development and wellbeing and is currently writing her third book.
Visit Shelley Costello at http://www.shelleycostello.net
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