How to address lifestyle discomforts

**Lifestyle diseases**

I hope this term is familiar to everyone nowadays. The medical industry has gone ahead to define certain discomforts/expressions of the body as a lifestyle disease. That means the lifestyle of people – how they live their lives is the cause for that disease or whatever discomfort is showing up in the body. So why do they give some tablets to address it instead of asking people to change their lifestyles??

What are these lifestyle diseases?

I am stating what I have understood.

When people change their way of life, way of living then there is a lifestyle change. Some examples:

– Working during night time and sleeping through the day

– Eating many times when awake without giving time for the food to digest

– Always trying to do something and pushing the body into Sympathetic mode without giving enough time for the body to digest and rest in para-sympathetic mode.

– Thinking that watching TV, watching the news, serials, movies, and social media engagement are all rest times for the body – it certainly is not! And sleeping is not enough rest too!

– Too much socializing – people who feel the weekend is wasted if not spent out

– Constant traveling as a requirement for the work

– When the body feels unwell and shows up in the form of inflammation/pain, popping a painkiller (I somehow don’t like that name)

– Sitting or standing in the same posture for long durations – hunching over laptops – constantly looking down at phone screens or to read/write

– Exercising to be a performer – over-exercising…

I think there will be many more that can be added to this list!

These are simple examples of changing our lifestyle from the POV of posture, movement, eating, and resting! Sometimes there is this need to perform in the job and we tend to let go of all our basic body requirements and needs and we push our body to do the task!

This lifestyle change is one of the main reasons for those lifestyle diseases or bodily discomforts!

What can we do about it?

Apart from popping those pills prescribed, we can start to change our lifestyle slowly. We can make some time every day to have moments of connection with the body, with the breath, and consciously being in para-sympathetic mode to facilitate “rest and digest”! Yes, we can do our work and activities that we are interested in or for earning a living but there should also be conscious moments of rest during the day.

We can learn to do things with awareness, joy, and intention! Before doing any task let us connect with our body and mind to make an intention – “I am doing this work for/because ____”. The moment our intention is clear we will make sure that we don’t push ourselves too much beyond that intention!

Are you going through such a phase in your life – discomfort because of lifestyle?

Are you ready to make a shift in your lifestyle?

Art helps me to heal

As I sat with my art today, I became aware of the thoughts that arose! I was suddenly thinking about the times I had tried to get a job but it didn’t work out for me then. Those were times when I was a young mother and I was looking out for work options during the time my daughters went to school. I tried freelancing options and upgraded myself with the latest in software development, but nothing worked out then! I felt very disappointed when my job applications didn’t develop into an interview call!

My first job as a Hardware Engineer, just out of college, was a breeze and I enjoyed the learning that came with the job! When I switched to Software, again my first job with the IT industry was too good and I had a great team who were part of my learning process there! I consciously took a break when I went the family way thinking that I could pursue it later after my children went to school. But it didn’t happen that way!

There were times I yearned for the financial freedom that came with a job, longed for interaction with people who loved the challenge of software programming and also secretly wished to get out of too much of household chores! These thoughts were momentary! When I looked at my daughters, all my doubts cleared up and I felt so good to be there for them! I totally enjoyed motherhood as I watched my daughters grow up into two beautiful human beings. I have no regrets there!

Today I sat thinking about those moments when I wanted a job and didn’t get one! I felt a big rush of emotions to hug that young mother within me, for all the yearnings and disappointments she went through, without sharing with anyone! While she went ahead with life with a smile on her face, she held within those moments of disappointment concerning her job search. I hold her close today and we learn to accept those moments of disappointments! I sat with those memories today and spoke aloud about all the emotions that went with that! I thank my art which helped me today to do this inner-child healing! I have lived through those moments but today I made peace with it!

While I did my art and kept talking about those memories, there came a line that stumped me

“All those moments of disappointments were essential in my life for me to be in this space right now!”

I can appreciate the work I do right now and I enjoy the solitude moments that my work helps me to get! If I had taken up any job…hmmm….maybe my yogic journey could have been on a different timeline.

But I am here right now, as a Yoga teacher trying my best to bring in the Ashtanga learnings in my everyday life! This is possible only with all that I have experienced previously in my life! And I appreciate my presence here, in this moment!

Making intentions with our body

There is this World’s best computer programmer who in his video has shared that things work out best when you use your subconscious mind and the best way to use it is to tell yourself “This job is giving me happiness and I would like to do it”! He goes on to say that linking the job to be done to happiness is a sure-shot way to make things happen.

This concept is shared by Yogasutra too! Human beings are born happy – it is their natural state of living – any job done in this natural state of being is sure to bring in a sense of joy and bliss – this, in turn, will inspire a person to go for it again!

It can also be seen as the mental state of mind as we do a job – what attitude do we have towards this job? – Are we doing this with love or disinterest? What intention do we have while doing this job?

A recent conversation with a person who has been taking medications for Diabetes for the past 20 years made me think a lot about this aspect.

As human beings, we want to be healthy all the time. We define things, plans, and our work in a timeframe! We want our bodies to heal within a specific timeframe too!

We want to be devoid of pain. We want any bodily discomfort to vanish by taking a few tablets. We want quality of life and we link that to medications. We also want to live long but don’t know what to do with our minds, thoughts, bodies, and our life! (We attach rules and regulations to our healthiness quotient)

We take medications like it is a job – like changing table mats. (We can take medications with the intention – “this medication is helping us to heal”)

We are constantly blaming the medications for the side effects – my metabolism has taken a toll – I have put on weight because of this medication – I get stomach ulcers after a course of antibiotics! (When we take medications with intentions, things start to change within us)

We think of our body as some third party and we think it is enough if we send some food, water, medicines, and supplements during specific times and our health can be maintained by this action.

This certainly is not the situation.

The “I” that is the person is never disassociated from the body. The “I” decides how the body functions with the inputs you give.

So even if you eat delicious food filled with nutrients and the “I” is constantly telling the body that this food is filled with more calories than your regular diet or some complaint about the food, then the body will surely reject the nutrients from the food we eat. It is that simple. What attitude do we have when we eat? Are we conscious about the food, the various textures, the taste, are we chewing well – everything matters!

In essence, the “I” takes a prominent role in deciding what happens with the food within the body. The best way to strengthen this is to “Be Present” and be conscious about the intentions we have while we work with the body.

When you shower, be with the body – feel the brush of your hand/fingers on every part of your body.

When you eat, be completely present in the act of chewing, tasting, and eating.

When you take medications, be completely present with taking medicines. Think that this is going to make you healthy and great!

When you drink water, think how nutritious this elixir is!

When you practice asanas on the mat, be with your body and breath, completely!

Take some time to learn about your body, the organs in your body, how they function, what is their natural state of being, what happens when we breathe, and what happens when we eat – take some interest in knowing your body instead of depending solely on the doctor to tell you something about you.

We have to assure our body that all that we do, act, talk, eat, and drink is for the benefit of the body and not for anything else. This can ensure good health in body and mind!

This seems like a simple shift to existing habits and routines. Can you take some time to try it out, as you start this New Year?

Can you start better communication with your body?

Can you make intentions before you eat, drink, or sleep?

Try reading this also:

How do you eat?

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Who knows me better than me?

I stood under the shower
Allowing the water to wash me
To cleanse my skin and hair
Of any dust and dirt
As I wanted to feel clean!

Am I clean, from within?
What does being clean mean to me?
I know what is within me…
The things that I hold
And the many things that hold me!

I know when I fumble
When I mess up
Manipulate
And when I lie…
I do them consciously at times.
And then survival mode takes over…
I share my deepest fears
Very subtly
Scared of being discovered
Of what I hold inside!

Maybe there has been healing
And growth
A certain kind of courage
Boldness
In showing my vulnerable side
In speaking my mind
And the heart too…

What do I know deep within?
How much knowledge do I hold?
How do I apply this knowledge?
When I speak, where do my words come from?
Is my laughter genuine?
Is my love from my heart?
Do I really have compassion?
Can I trust?

I have this pair of shoes
That is mine
Only mine
And fits only me!
No one knows what it is made of
Nor what kind it is…
Only I know my shoes!
I walk in it every moment…

Others may perceive my shoes
As the Cinderella ones
Or the all-purpose Bata ones!
It may look like the sturdy Snowshoes
Or the waterproof boots!
It may appear to have spikes for better grip
Or it may just slide like the skiing shoes!
Sometimes, what I share about my shoes
Cannot define it completely
All that my shoes hold
As language has its own limitations!

Who can say that they know me very well?
Isn’t it “a tip of the iceberg” understanding?

I am my Consciousness!
This Consciousness knows all that is me
The parts within me
That I hide from others
That I cringe from accepting
That I have healed
That feels crazy
That makes me a warrior
That seeks knowledge
That is curious about life
That makes me draw boundaries
That makes me compassionate
That makes me love myself
More than anyone else!
No one can fully understand this entirety called ME
Except ME!

An experience at Guruvayoor

My brother was insistent on making a trip with my amma, me, and my sister. This talk was going on for a long time. And finally, we made a trip to Guruvayoor, Thrissur, and Alleppey. I didn’t have any great agenda except that I wanted my amma to feel happy and enjoy this trip with her children. I think we have never traveled like this before. Even before we three of us got married, we never got together for a family trip. So, this trip felt special!

We landed at Guruvayoor on the auspicious Narayaneeyam day (14th December) and amid the Sabarimala season! Everywhere I turned, people were waiting to get a darshan of that little Unni Krishnan! There were special entrance queues, senior citizen queues, and the regular darshan queue. All of them were full and going strong as the day moved.

I am very grateful to my friend Meena who had a special darshan arranged for us and we were to meet this person S at 11am, at a particular place in the temple. Neither have we seen him before nor he has seen us. We just took a chance and waited till 11.25am, hoping that he would recognize us somehow! I wondered aloud if this person is taking time to come, maybe I should get a special darshan ticket.

I looked up and said “Krishna”, it felt like a yearning to see Him!

And then comes this person S who we were supposed to meet. He just knew us and came to me and asked “Uma?” I nodded gratefully! He guided all of us to the special entrance. I had this excited feeling to meet this Unni Krishna! I walked slowly with the crowd…

And then there I was – standing in front of Him and all I could see was brilliant light! I wondered where can I see His face!

I realized He had been decorated with all the paraphernalia and that glitter was not allowing me to see Him properly! By the time my eyes got used to the glitter, I was asked to move and there I came out, feeling left out in that embrace!

My memory of visiting Guruvayoor Krishna temple feels very faint as it happened when I was a young mother. Over the years, the picture of Guruvayoorappan – the one that is available everywhere – is what is etched in memory. Now I felt that my eyes were looking forward to this visual treat of looking at Krishna and making a new memory.

I asked S if he could arrange for one more darshan as I couldn’t see Krishna so clearly. He asked us to come back again in the evening by 7pm.

I was feeling elated and started planning to do other things before going to the temple by 7 in the evening. We ate lunch, rested for some time, and visited the Mammiyoor Sivan temple. We relished the tea in those small tea shops around the temple. In the meantime, Meena suggested that I visit the elephants and that I would love that! I was thinking about how my amma would handle all the traveling and sort of dropped that idea.

And I was continuing my planning – he he 😀 – mentally I had allocated 1 hour at the temple, then dinner, and then early to bed for we all had a long day! And we had planned to start early the next day to Thrissur.

We were at the temple by 7pm. I was eager to see Unni Krishna!

S didn’t turn up till 7.55pm. We just spoke aloud that we shall wait for 5 more minutes and then go for dinner.

The moment we uttered those words, he came and said he got delayed. He asked us to wait for some time. Then around 8.15pm, S took us in through the special entrance again and we joined the queue for darshan.
I kept praying “Krishna, open my eyes well so that I will be able to see you”! I asked the lady who was asking us to move “What decoration is that?” She said “Alilai Kannan”.
I went closer and I saw a beautifully decorated “Alilai Kannan”!

Again, because of the decoration, His face was not clear! I wondered what to do – two times I went to see Him, but couldn’t see His face properly to make a memory within me.

Then we waited inside the temple for some more time as S asked us to wait.

After 15 to 20 minutes, all of us had the darshan of our lives – we were taken individually to stand in front of Krishna for darshan! What a divine grace!

I stared – I made an intention to open my mind’s eyes – I wished to see His beautiful face!

And what a vision He gave! It felt like a shower of blessings!

As we were coming out, we saw the lamps along the walls of the Sanctum Santorum being readied with oil and wick. I asked when they would light it and they said around 9.

We quickly went to eat dinner so that we could be back soon to watch the lamps being lit. As we were going out, I saw the Temple elephant being given a bath and I was looking forward to seeing the decorated elephant too. All of us were back at the temple in no time to watch the lamps and elephants.

There were 3 elephants nicely decorated and waiting.

The first elephant took the idol of Unni Krishna and with the accompaniments of the drums went two rounds around the Sanctum Santorum. This was such a beautiful sight – something I had never seen before!

I understood the reason behind what all happened in the morning darshan, the yearning to see Krishna again, the delayed entry by S – everything led me to this moment. Even though it sounds cliche, “everything happens for good and a reason beyond human understanding”! We take time to understand the reasoning because we are limited in our thinking.

The prepared lamps were lit by the devotees in the temple and we also joined in. Lighting a lamp at a temple is such a blessing and what a beautiful culmination is happening to my day!

For the third round, all three elephants joined. Each one next to the other, the one in the center carried Unni Krishna and the other two were carrying umbrellas. The child God is taken on elephants which rock him gently before He goes to sleep. This ritual called Sriveli is done every night.

When the elephants stayed at the same place playing, they played “Krishna nee begane baaro” on the nadaswaram. The melody of the song asks him to come fast so that He can rest – this is something I experienced with goosebumps and accepted this whole day’s events as the grace of the Divine!

Meena said that Krishna being a child had played hide and seek with me and I was overjoyed that He chose to play this part with me. I also got to see the elephants as Meena wished for me!

What I understood from this whole experience was to surrender to the happenings of the day as though it was the best experience I could have! And every day turns out beautifully to enhance the joy of living!

Thinking aloud, as I breathe…

This morning I was guiding my students of Pranayama class through a series of suggestions by Thich Nhat Hanh as given in his book “How to Focus”. I was helping them to stay focused on their breath by following the guidance given in his book.

As I sat with my breath for practice, these were my thoughts:

Is my Breathing In an act of Masculine energy? The words that came up in sequence were accumulating / hoarding. Breathing In is “moving forward” into another breath, another moment in my life. I think this is masculine energy.

At the same time, to Breathe In, I have to be in a frame of “receiving”! Only then, the breath can find space internally. This receiving is feminine energy.

For the act of Breathing In, both the masculine and feminine energies are present in balance for the Inhale to happen!

The words that came up for Breathing Out were “let go” / “detached”! I understood that there has to be a complete surrender (feminine energy) to this breath that I am exhaling and willing to let go! Otherwise, it will become a challenge to free that breath!

It also brings into the picture, the idea of “hope” – which is masculine energy! It is this hope of the next inhale that gives me the comfort to surrender the present exhale.

And I understood the concept of Ardhanareeswarar – where Shiva and Sakthi form the right and left sides of the body. For every act of masculine energy, there is an underlying feminine energy as a support for its execution. Similarly, for every act of feminine energy, the masculine energy completely supports it. It is this concept that is being felt in every breath of ours.

We prepare ourselves to receive (feminine) – Inhalation is the process of giving energy to the body (Masculine)!

We surrender (feminine) to the breath that is getting ready to be exhaled and this is done with the hope (masculine) of a new breath!

It is amazing to see how we walk – every right foot forward is masculine by nature – we move toward our places of interest, action, and goals! Every left foot is feminine supporting our move forward in whatever direction we would like to go. The point that we can ponder here is – Is my moving forward (actions) supported well by emotions and thoughts? This is the balance that can keep us healthy and moving forward in life!

Slowing down

This morning I started my day by scrubbing the kitchen top, the sink, the gas stove, and all the appliances on the kitchen top. There are days like today when I feel the need to clean. Somehow, the scrubbing of the kitchen top gives a sense of clearing up my thoughts!

I looked at my 3-burner gas stove which I got at the beginning of this year. I had a 4-burner gas stove before and I gave it to my house help. She was super thrilled that she could cook faster making four different things at the same time, while she prepared lunch for her husband and her two college-going daughters.

I have been there – I know the drill! I have cooked using all the 4 burners at the same time. One burner would actually use the LPG fuel to make my fuel – tea! I have tried experiments like using two spatulas to mix one Dal with the left hand and some cauliflower fry with the right hand. Now I understand I smartly I had kept both sides of my brain active and alert while cooking; I also needed that alertness to remember which dishes got their dosage of salt and chilies.

When I got married, I had a 2-burner gas stove and when my daughters started school, I went in for a 4-burner one. Initially, it was for the crazy idea of owning one cool-looking kitchen appliance – the gas stove with a cover. So, by the end of the day when kitchen work is done, I can close the lid and say the kitchen is closed now! Ha Ha! Of course, I didn’t follow through that rule always.

Now I have chosen this 3-burner gas stove to become more conscious of every dish I cook. I want to slow down my cooking process. Even if I make one kootu I want it to be cooked slowly and I want to take time to watch the process of boiled vegetables turning into kootu. I am enjoying this slowing down. I try to ensure that I add the secret ingredient – love – as I slow down my cooking! I love that my love can reach the people who eat this kootu. I also make a conscious effort to use only one burner at a time, even though there are 3. Most of the days, I take delight in cooking just one dish that I enjoy cooking and eating.

Two of the burners are regular medium-sized ones, and the center one is smaller. I prefer to use the smaller one for my tea, I let the tea brew in it slowly to become a delicious elixir as I begin my daily work. I use the smallest burner for the Rasam to cook slowly in eeya sombu, making the whole home fragrant with Rasam – this makes me anticipate my lunchtime. Then I spend time eating this Rasam Sadam with absolute presence and gratitude!

And I scrubbed the kitchen clean letting my thoughts wander about the stories related to cooking – how I used to wake up early and prepare lunch and breakfast by 6.30 a.m. – how I was this smarty pants to innovate lunch ideas for my daughters – how I learned some recipes from friends and modified them to suit the taste levels with my family – how I was courageous to try and learn dishes from different origins – how I used to cook a fabulous spread in a very short time for friends /guests – how I down-sized my gas stove – how that has helped me to slow down my cooking process – how there is more enjoyment in cooking a simple burji than an elaborate meal with 10 dishes – how that has helped me to make time for other things – how I can bring in a sense of contentment within me with making only one dish!

All this thought process has helped me realize that life is made of all these small things where I spend more time joyfully! I have made some extra time to stare at the new bloom, sit in the warmth of the sun, have a big cup of tea in complete acceptance of the day, watch the sunlight play with the leaves, trying to make a memory of this green leaves and light in my mind first and then making a memory in my phone too, taking extra time to connect with friends and family, making video calls to see what my dear ones are doing in their lives and just many more!

It makes me wonder if I am living life “LEISURELY” now, as though I have all the time in the world! I think my heart agrees with this word instead of “slowing down“!

Idly story

I made idlis today and they came out soft, as they should be. So, what’s the big deal about it? I always use the same recipe – the proportion of rice to urad dal and grind it in the grinder! So, what about it? Given the recipe and the appliance and all, it is still a big thing for me, as I go about this process of grinding idly batter every week.

When I was young, I saw my Paati grind for idly or dosa using the grinder at home. We had the open type of grinder and my Paati always encouraged us to check the softness/coarseness of the batter while the grinding process was going on. She would also guide us to making the idly batter and how different the batter is when we make dosa. Looking back, I realize that she never let out her proportions for making this batter! Even my amma was not given the exact proportions for making the batter. It was like some secret family recipe that Paati was holding.

Much later, after I got married, when I wanted to make idly for my children, I asked Amma for the proportions. Amma asked me to check with Paati.

Since Paati was not keen on giving the proportions (in terms of cup measurements) for making Idly so easily, I asked Paati to help me make the idly batter and asked her to keep the ingredients in two vessels. She filled one with Idly rice and the other with Urad dal, in her own technique of measuring things with her hands only. She asked me to wash them separately and soak them for some time. I actually thank the way my brain worked then; I remember measuring both the ingredients which Paati had kept, in my own way by using cup measurements. So that I was able to understand the quantity of urad dal to use based on the rice. Although it solved the mystery of Paati’s recipe for idly batter, I was amazed at the way Paati did this using her hands only – she never used cups for measurements.

This is how my Paati and Amma cooked. All measurements are felt by the heart – is this salt enough for this quantity of sambar? – is this jaggery enough for making this much of Sakkarai Pongal? – everything was measured using the eyes to access the quantity of the dish that is cooking and the intuition that comes along with it!

I am blessed to have imbibed that quality – using eyes and intuition to decide on the measurement of ingredients for a dish! This quality helps in cooking huge quantities very easily; there is no need to calculate or multiply the proportions by no of servings!

I feel like I have digressed! The point I was trying to make here is – even though I know the proportions of making idly batter by heart – even though I keep doing this process every week – even though it has been proven foolproof by myself and by Amma and Paati – even though I refuse to change the recipe as suggested by enthusiastic foodies – the time between “adding salt to batter” to the time when “idlis come out of the steamer” is a period of anticipation of how the idlis will come out this time!

I try to buy Idly rice and Urad dal consistently from the same store and try to stick to the same brand as much as possible. I have realized Urad dals from different regions give different yields when we grind them. This knowledge has come from years of practicing this art of making idly batter, again and again, as if I am a newbie to this! That curiosity has helped me many times.

There were times when the urad dal yielded more than the rice batter could take. Then I keep some urad dal batter separately and try to do something else with it. I have tried making Bondas and realized that they absorb too much oil.

Every time I make idly batter, it feels like an experiment done for the first time. So, biting into the idly and feeling the softness is indeed a big thing for me!

September Musings – 22

Knight in Shining Armor

“If you refer to someone as a knight in shining armor, you mean that they are kind and brave, and likely to rescue you from a difficult situation” – says the Collins Dictionary.

Have you ever wondered about this Knight in shining armor? Who can this person be? Why should they come and rescue us?

As I listen to stories that people/friends/acquaintances tell me, everyone is going through something challenging in their life. For some, the challenge is at the physical body level. For some, it may be their mind. For others, it may be with their relationships or studies or anything that is not in sync with their plan for their life. The intensity of the challenge can vary. They might be equipped to handle the challenge or they might not – concerning support from family, financial strength, and also support from friends.

Being equipped is one thing. To put it into use to face the challenge is another thing. I may have the full support of my family and I may have great friends and I may also have financial support but what matters is “Do I have it in me to face this challenge?” “Am I ready to face what life is offering me now?” “Am I ready to move from my comfort zone and see what happens?” “Am I going to skip this challenge and give various reasons later to myself?”

I would like to share this incident even though I have written about it already. But I think mentioning it here makes complete sense.

My husband was hospitalized in Jan 2018 as he had a flesh-eating bacterial infection in his right foot. Every infected part of the flesh was just scooped out of the body under anesthesia. When the infection spread further, more flesh was scooped out. It feels weird to use the word scoop but that’s what the doctors did. He was under a heavy dose of antibiotics which stunned the kidneys, filled up his chest with water and many other things happened in the course of one and half months. Every day was a challenge that he stood up against.

He had the best doctor in that specialty attending to him and doing his surgeries with great skill.

He was treated in one of the best hospitals which had all the infrastructure for his treatment.

He had the whole family behind him that stood up for him, sending love and prayers for his recovery.

He had his siblings next to him who were such solid support to him.

He had me and his daughters always rooting for him.

But do you know what saved him? His own Knight in shining armor, who helped him look forward to the day when he could sit and talk, walk by himself, and drive a car by himself! He saved himself. He was his own savior.

And many times, in our lives, we just need to look at our own selves and say “I am my Knight in shining armor and I am going to help myself shift out of this situation or I am going to help myself face this challenge”

This affirmation may help us to move forward even if it is by an inch.

Remove that headgear and look – You are your own Knight in shining armor!

September Musings 14 – Priority

One of the most important lessons I have learned as a teacher is to “respect the priorities of others”.

When Sir was teaching us yoga therapy, he insisted on being kind to the person coming to take our help. Some people will schedule calls/appointments and they may cancel it at the last moment. Sir suggested looking from their angle – no one who is keen on feeling better using yoga therapy will make appointments and simply cancel them, right?
They probably got caught in something that was higher in priority in their life!

It might feel like something trivial but for someone who has to maintain a calendar of all the appointments, booking them and cancelling them might actually be a huge thing.

There were other moments when I understood priority in a new light. Many people who learn Asanas and Pranayama refer my name and number to their friends, thinking it will benefit their friends just like how they benefit.
But is the practice of Yoga and Pranayama a priority for this friend?

Some people pay for Pranayama or asana practice but don’t attend classes regularly. I used to feel so bad about their missing classes. It also made me doubt myself and what I was teaching. And then I learned slowly – that they are in a phase in life where something else is occupying their thoughts, keeping them busy and the few sessions that they get to attend are actually their oasis of strength.
I learned not to doubt my teaching skills because someone missed class or didn’t consider the practice as a priority!

Some people are dealing with a health challenge in their life and their body may not be in shape to practice on a particular day! Or this person may be the caregiver to a dear one and they may not be able to attend practice class!
The commitments in life at that point in time are their priority!

I am quite serious about my practice of Asanas and Pranayama and sitting quietly in Dharana. When I do it, I put my whole body and soul into it. I try my best to avoid distractions! I don’t even put music that time and the only sound is that of my breath and an occasional Om chanting during stretches! The time spent on my mat is like meditation.
My practice is a priority for me!

Some people do it to feel energetic. Some people do it to let the emotions out of the body – movements are great for that. Others do it like some robotic movement – hands up, bend forward, hands up, and repeat – there is no involvement of the mind and breath here – only repetition and count matters.
Each and every one of them is doing the practice according to the priority it has in their life!

We are constantly thinking about our loved ones – Oh! Pranayama will help you breathe well! – Pls do asana practice to reduce weight – You are too stressed…why don’t you join some art class? – You are constantly working with the laptop…do something to move away from it – Your posture is all wrong…why don’t you move your body? – Go for a walk instead of sitting at home all the time – Why don’t you learn music? – Why don’t you do this or do that or do something?

It hits me that we are constantly asking our dear ones to do something other than what they are doing! Why can’t we be happy with the choices of our dear ones?
Why can’t our dear ones have different priorities in life?
Why are we deciding what is the priority in other’s lives?

I remember this from Ramayana where Kaikeyi thought that being the King of Ayodhya is the best thing that can happen to her son Bharata and so she got those two boons into action which changed the course of life for many people! But for Bharata, that was not a priority at all! All he wanted to do was be at the feet of his brother Rama.