1. Come Early – Sounds simple to say. Yet, life is BUSY and
NOISY. Rushing is the main speed of engagement. Try to be on your mat 10
minutes prior to class to chill or perhaps stretch out some tight body parts. Though
rushing to the studio may be part of life, when possible try not to rush into
practice. That extra 10 minutes will reap great benefits. Always imagine the
class will be full and arrange yourself accordingly.
2. Disconnect Sooner – The cell phone is the modern ball and
chain. Imagine if you were to lose your cell phone. So much information gone
but very soon you would replace it with a shinier phone. Yet we all spend so
much time staring at shiny moving screens thinking there is nothing greater. Give
yourself the gift of unlocking from the technology of your life before you
enter the studio. Check the last message before passing the studio door. Turn
off the iPod beforehand. Bring your attention to you. It is time to practice
letting go. Your brain will thank you. Then plug back in after you leave the
studio.
3. Change BEFORE Entering the Practice Room – Peace and
quiet is a rare thing in most lives. Take the journey from check-in to changing
as your decompression time. As you head to the change room begin to take some
deep inhales and exhales to let go of your day. By keeping the in and out
traffic down in the practice room we begin to become more still, creating a
space to hear ourselves – a space to meditate before class. In addition, it
keeps the room less drafty with better temperature control.
4. Practice Silence in the Room – One of the great things
students give feedback on is the space created for peace and stillness. Maintain
silence in the practice room to allow people to meditate with as little
distraction as possible. Often students purposely come earlier to decompress or
limber up. Please be mindful of the
noise you make with your belongings in the room prior to class and as you leave
class. Velcro, zippers, mats and keys dropping, and clunking water bottles are
the things regular students mention the most. Do enjoy the lounge for a
pre-class chat.
5. Stay in Final Savasana LONGER – Often in life we are
rushing from asana practice to home or off to other things that need our
attention. Taking time in Savasana is not often seen as needed or an option for
busy lives. Three conditions should be met before leaving the practice room:
your breath rate and heart rate has returned to its resting rate; your
perspiration rate has decrease to non-activity levels; and thoughts and
emotions are calm. To achieve all of these post asana practice can take
anywhere from 3-10 minutes.
Peace and stillness.
