Yoga in Your Parent's Living Room
My guess is that I'm not the only one currently experiencing extra people. Extra people in your home, or you are the extra people in the home of someone else. The extra people experience, so emblematic of the holidays.
It can be a stressful time. Having more people in your space can result in a feeling of claustrophobia and being in someone's space can create less agency. It's like being in a romantic relationship; suddenly, you're not just making decisions for yourself anymore. You might wake up, be totally ravenous for a strawberry-banana smoothie... only to find that Pops, in his infinite love for you, has made a gigantic batch of french toast. Just for you.
Or, like me, you're a bit addicted to the asana side of your yoga practice. You. Need. To. Move! But your parents have a teeny little living room, and it is filled with presents. Yesterday, I practiced to Live.Love.Yoga's podcasts (go to iTunes and enter "Power Yoga with Nikki Wong" for FREE downloadable podcasts of sheer yoga brilliance) while I worried about knocking over things and staring at Christmas wrapping. Did I mention that I'm Jewish? And am really anti-consumer?
I think I need to accept the fact that this week, this one week out of the year, my yoga practice needs to move off of the mat. I need to eat the french toast and detach myself from smoothie cravings. I can take a looooooooong walk in the Shawangunk Mountains to get some air and do Mountain Pose on the real thing. Mostly, I can make space for the needs of other people while being aware of my own. Especially whether my needs are just attachments and routines that, while they may be "healthy," are still attachments.
However, just in case your parent's living room, or your living room crowded with guests, is a little less packed than my own, here is a yin practice that requires a bit less space to move around in.
It can be a stressful time. Having more people in your space can result in a feeling of claustrophobia and being in someone's space can create less agency. It's like being in a romantic relationship; suddenly, you're not just making decisions for yourself anymore. You might wake up, be totally ravenous for a strawberry-banana smoothie... only to find that Pops, in his infinite love for you, has made a gigantic batch of french toast. Just for you.
Or, like me, you're a bit addicted to the asana side of your yoga practice. You. Need. To. Move! But your parents have a teeny little living room, and it is filled with presents. Yesterday, I practiced to Live.Love.Yoga's podcasts (go to iTunes and enter "Power Yoga with Nikki Wong" for FREE downloadable podcasts of sheer yoga brilliance) while I worried about knocking over things and staring at Christmas wrapping. Did I mention that I'm Jewish? And am really anti-consumer?
I think I need to accept the fact that this week, this one week out of the year, my yoga practice needs to move off of the mat. I need to eat the french toast and detach myself from smoothie cravings. I can take a looooooooong walk in the Shawangunk Mountains to get some air and do Mountain Pose on the real thing. Mostly, I can make space for the needs of other people while being aware of my own. Especially whether my needs are just attachments and routines that, while they may be "healthy," are still attachments.
However, just in case your parent's living room, or your living room crowded with guests, is a little less packed than my own, here is a yin practice that requires a bit less space to move around in.
- Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
- Dirgha and Ujjayi Pranayama (Three Part Breath and Ocean Sounding Breath). Come back to this breath often throughout this practice.
- Baddha Konasana (Cobbler's Pose). Hold for 2-3 minutes.
- Bhujangasana on forearms, forearms shoulder width apart (Cobra). Hold for 1 minute.
- Gomukhasana (Face of Light Pose) with arms resting in a comfortable place. Hold for 2 minutes on each side.
- Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend Pose). Hold for 2-3 minutes. (Note: avoid or be careful is you have sciatica or chronic lower back issues)
- Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Twist Pose). Hold for 2-3 minutes each side.
- Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby Pose). Hold for 2 minutes.
- Viparita Karani (Legs up the Wall Pose). Hold for 5-10 minutes.
- Savasana (Corpse Pose). Hold for twice your usual length.
