Let’s play!

Photo credit: Yantar Yoga

Do you remember when you were a kid how easy it was to find joy in any given moment for no particular reason? How you’d run around, jump, skip, and somersault just because, finding endless fulfillment in letting your body be free and your mind always open to something new? I guess it’s somewhat of an evolutionary imperative to lose most of that care-free attitude as we grow up and our bodies become less resilient to scapes and falls. But is it such a good thing in terms of our mind-body fitness? And do we necessarily have to lose all of it? I’d say not!

Especially in these beautiful days of late summer/early fall when the weather outside is not too hot, I feel myself drawn to play outdoors. Give me a patch of tall grass and I’m ready to rediscover the child within! That child may be less flexible, energetic, and daring but on the plus side she now has some yoga skills to put to work :) The greatest yoga teachers I’ve known have precisely that sense of playfulness and pure unadulterated fun in their own practice and are able to inspire that feeling in others. Is there joy in your yoga practice? If not - or not enough - maybe don’t take it so seriously.

Ultimately your practice is not about the poses you master, but about the insights you gain about your Self. And one such key insight is that joy is a state of mind you can cultivate every day. So next time coming to your mat feels like a bit of a drag, maybe take it outside, go to a park, and play - no worries and no judgment. Reconnect with your earlier years and simply have some fun!