The Yoga Habit

The Yoga Habit

In her book, The Creative Habit, Twyla Tharp discusses the importance of establishing rituals when engaging in any type of challenging activity or practice. We often think of rituals as some sort of elaborate rite but they can be very simple actions that point us in the right direction, something that sets in motion a sequence of events that propels us to take the next step. The example Tharp gives is of her getting up each day, taking the elevator down to the street, and hailing a cab to take her to the gym to work out. She points out that the ritual isn't the workout itself but the hailing of the cab. The benefit of having the ritual is that it is one small step she can take (even on days when she is ambivalent about spending a few hours in the gym) that puts her on a path to a worthwhile activity. Of course, there are lots of traditional rituals that can accompany a yoga practice and they can be very beneficial. But sometimes just the simple act of sitting or standing for a minute or two in silence, with awareness of body, alignment, and breath can be all we need to set us on a path to a longer and more fulfilling (and sometimes even unexpectedly revelatory) practice. Whether you chose to try this out on your own or take the step of clicking on a Zoom link below (yes, even joining a Zoom can be a ritual!), I hope you have a wonderful week of yoga!