Holdin' Down the House
We all have things to do. One of the most common things you will hear someone say in a yoga studio is some version of this: “Sorry I haven’t been in a while, my work/kids/dog/travel etc. have been really crazy.” AND the person on the receiving end of that statement never says, “I have no idea what you mean?!”
Householder is now a commonly used term in the modern yoga community, mainly because it accounts for the far majority of folks who would identify a part of their fitness regime/spiritual practice as Yoga. If you’re coming and going in a yoga studio, or using a breathing app on your phone, you’re not a monk, not removed from society, alone for the purpose of self inquiry through Yoga.
Maybe now that it’s been laid out like that. it sounds funny to say, but that’s okay. Unlike the monk sitting alone in an ashram, we have the world around us to be in, and deal with. In my opinion, that alone is an indication for Yoga practice. The tension of daily life and it’s challenges create balance in one’s practice.
The most common statement heard in a yoga studio above is a weird denial of this balance where the brain likes to go. “I’m not a monk , but shouldn’t I be?” Well, no. Your Yoga is helping you be a really great Parent, Partner, Professional, student , and so on. With a little practice, being these things can BECOME your yoga practice.
The concept of a feeding cycle/starving cycle helps me make sense of all of this.
A feeding cycle in this case would kinda look like this:
A starving cycle might look like this:
So put into practice this can look like: In class at every step, be you. Practice this like you mean it. Your brain will still butt in at every turn to say, “If you were in class yesterday, this would look better/feel better/ more closely resemble what’s their name on Instagram.” On the flip, can you in daily life, be careful of “I don’t have an hour, so I can’t practice.” You COULD. Breathe consciously for 5 minutes, put your phone call on speaker and practice 5 postures, or just be fully present while you play with your kids. Little pockets of practice exist everywhere. Let me know if I can help you with anything:) Love y’all!
Wes Bozeman was Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork in 2009 and is a Florida Licensed Massage Therapist. MA58298 He began his massage practice after the birth of his daughter, when substandard maternity care cast a light on the value of bodily knowledge and wellness for his whole family. He began his yoga training in 2010 at Evolation Yoga in Tampa. Since then he has studied with Ida Jo and Scott Lamps at Ghosh Yoga, and countless other mentors along the way. He owns Gaze Hot Yoga in Tampa Heights where he teaches students, and teachers, and is happy to be their student too. Wes’ only goal for his practice is to empower his clients to be aware of their bodies, and facilitate healing.