Life is full of new beginnings. Every day, when the sun rises, we have a new chance, a new opportunity to start over and set our foundation for the day, week, year. When we get up we should ask ourselves: “what is it that we want to do or accomplish?” and then get started on doing it. It doesn’t have to be anything big, earth shattering, or profound, but it should be something that we can do to better ourselves and help us to be the best that we can be. What we do and think each morning will set a foundation for our mood and behaviors throughout the day.
A yoga practice can be an excellent way to learn to explore ourselves, our bodies, and help us create a solid foundation that can support us both on and off our mats.
Yoga is not about perfection. The purpose of a yoga practice is not about a beautiful practice or to prove to ourselves or others that we can stand on our hands, even though it’s fun… It’s about coming to our mat each day to learn more about ourselves, to train our minds to focus on the present, to learn to trust, and to build strength in our bodies.
Every time we get onto our mat, we begin by finding our foundation and start to ground down. We bring more awareness to our bodies, tap into our inner strength, and find our stability. And in those moments, when we find that strength, we can move through every posture with intention, familiarity, and steadiness.
In every pose we are in, our foot, hand, or bum is grounding down to the earth, stabilizing us. By setting that strong foundation, we can rise up steady and strong. When we don’t have a solid foundation, we may wobble or fall. Well the same is true in life. We can’t build a solid house without a strong foundation. Nor can we live a strong life without a strong base.
Life is changing all the time, constantly throwing us curve balls and making us revisit, reevaluate, and/or reassess our plans. It’s one transition after another and when we are constantly moving, it can sometimes be hard to feel grounded. However, like a vinyasa class as you quickly move between poses, you have to find your foundation, ground down into your fingers and toes, and breathe so you can rise and hold the pose. So if we can do it in yoga, we can do it in life.
When we create that strong base and connection to the earth, build that strong foundation and strength on our mats, we can begin to use it off the mat and in our daily lives. Feeling more empowered, so that no matter what life throws at us, we can take it head on.
