Addicted to Yoga?

In the middle of yoga this morning, I had this thought.

Can I become addicted to yoga?

I mean - over the past year - I did a pretty good job addicting myself to UNHEALTHY things.

Alcohol and cigarettes

It wasn't easy. Two summers ago, I started dating a guy who had to DRAG my ass out to the bar. He liked to go every night. I liked to go twice a week. But because I loved him, and wanted to spend time with him, I went.

I felt sick a lot. I also felt down on myself. Fast forward to fifteen months later - I've been going to the bar more than him.

What about yoga?

Why can't I do yoga every day?

Usually I do yoga on a fairly regular basis - twice a week. But this has diminished over the last year. I've opted out for running or ellipticals instead. Despite my ability to keep up with running - I have been getting paunchy.

Ask anyone who's done it.

There's no other exercise that does to the body what yoga does.

Right now, as Pennsylvania is in the midst of a summer-long heatwave, yoga is IDEAL. Running in this heat causes heatstroke. But hot yoga? It's the shit. And my bedroom heats up enough to drip anyone with glorious detoxifying sweatings.
 

Also yoga is GREAT for IBS. All of those twists?! Nevermind that every single asana requires lots of focus on the gut in order to be done right.

I've gone into classes with horrible IBS. By the time I left? GONE.


When I'm alone - Yoga makes me fart.

This is a good thing. The poses are not only relaxing. They wring out the guts. They tone the guts too. They get our blood circulating. They get the acid flowing in our bellies and our tummies primed for digestion.

The book "Light on Yoga" by B. K. S. Iyengar lists specific asanas for indigestion and gas.

I'd tell you what they are, but you should probably buy the book! Think twisting asanas. That's basically it - with a couple random ones thrown in there that you'd never even guess.

Part of this inspiration to more yoga is my sister. My lovely Mose is currently in the middle of high-octane yoga teacher training in New York City. In a month or two, she will be certified.

(Mose knows what's up. She bought me the "Light on Yoga" book, said it's the best. I agree.)




As she's becoming a teacher, I think it would be cool to perfect my own practice. Ya' know. SIMULTANEOUSLY. Maybe we can tap into our inner strengths together. Ya' know. Through the simultaenousness.

There's also this dude. If you haven't seen this video, please watch it. It's super cheesy, but it makes me cry every time!

The biggest problem to doing yoga every day is this: I get bored.

Here's what I plan to do to fight boredom:

1. Mix and match my workouts. Do lots of different yoga download classes. Then do the yoga session that I compiled from past classes and put to music for myself. Then take classes again.

2. Remember that I don't have to kick my own ass every day. Hatha yoga is just as important as Vinyasa. Thirty minutes is just as worthwhile as sixty.

3. Draw my curtains. Light candles. Burn nagchampas. Play music that makes me feel all dreamy and spiritual.

4. Do a LONG meditation at the end. Use techniques I've learned from Ariel. Combine spiritual work with yoga.

Tomorrow is a new moon. It's a good day to start a new things.

Toots

Do you do yoga?

Does it help your tum?

What's your favorite asana?

How do you keep your workouts fresh?