Yoga Off the Mat

Focus is important, so is laughter. Sometimes falling out of a pose is as important as holding onto it.

What does Living Yoga Off the Mat mean?

Imagine standing in Tree Pose Vksasana, with your left foot grounded into the floor, finding your balance and breathing deeply. Bringing your attention to a point in front of you- something that you can focus on, and slowly lifting the sole of your right foot to place it on your inner left thigh- breathing, focusing, holding onto that balance. We fight for balance off the mat as much as we do on the mat- we HOLD on to it, focusing in on something deserving of our attention and giving it everything we have- this small lesson, this element of HOLDING on, is something we can apply in our daily practices off the mat. How? Well, what deserves your attention? What is your priority? Bringing a laser like focus on your goals and aspirations, calming the mind to allow the buzz of thoughts to quiet can be a way to bring in a sense of balance and focus off the mat.

That being said, we don't like to take ourselves too seriously. A tree can bend in the wind, and as we find ourselves in a balancing pose, we may fall out of it- what's my advice? Laugh. Laugh it off and go into it- find the joy in falling and be OK with our imperfections. Because, that's what makes each of us more than amazing. ​​“True ​yoga ​is not about the shape of your body, but the shape of your life. Yoga is not to be performed; yoga is to be lived. Yoga doesn’t care about what you have been; yoga cares about the person you are becoming. Yoga is designed for a vast and profound purpose, and for it to be truly called yoga, its essence must be embodied.” – Aadil Palkhivala