2018 Yoga Challenge

 Every year I invite my students, past and present and future, to join me in a 40-day yoga practice, using the broad definition of yoga: what we do to cultivate the quieting of the mind.
The most well-known 40-day practice in the western world is that of Lent, which starts this Wednesday February 14.  40 days shows up in other traditions too: Noah spent 40 days on the Ark.

Unlike Lent, which is usually a time something is given up, I invite you instead to add something to your life:  to add a consistent home yoga practice, even if it is tiny.     
If you prefer, you can start with 21 days and then see if you want to continue.

What is a YOGA practice?

 What makes a given practice a yoga practice? To me, it has the elements of:
self-awareness, compassion, and breath.  It can be on the mat, or not.  
Some examples:
1. 20 minutes of  asana (yoga poses) daily
2. 15 minutes of journal writing
3. 10 minutes of meditation
4. Studying spiritual literature (any tradition)
5. Studying Yoga Philosophy (eg the Yamas and Niyamas)

The Yoga Sutra on Practice

The Yoga Sutra says it this way: "Practice is the sustained effort to rest in that [mental] stillness. This practice  becomes firmly rooted when it is cultivated skillfully and continuously for a long time."   (From the Wisdom of Yoga by Stephen Cope).

 What others are practicing

Here are some examples for 2018
1. 10 minutes of reading on a theme related to peace, non-violence. . .followed by 5-10 minutes of reflection and meditation
2. 10 min of yoga poses followed by 5 min of meditation
3.15 minutes on the mat with breathing and stretching
4. 10 minutes of relaxation/savasana

Setting an intention

Are you ready to jump in?  
If YES, you want to be in the  2018 Yoga  Challenge, please reply with:  1.)What you intend to practice 2) how often and how long 3) whether I can share anonymously with others and 4) what support you would like from me or others

---