I completely checked out of cyberland last week while vacationing in Vermont with my family.  It actually felt good to unplug and unwind, releasing my tight grasp on my attachments to the cell phone, e-mail, and Facebook updates.  But now I’m back and excited to share more yoga goodness with all of you!

My normal, everyday home practice happens right when I wake up in the semi-darkness of our studio apartment with the whirring of the fan as background music.  I listen to my bones groan as my body slowly wakes up, and I focus on my breath for a brief 30-45 minutes before hitting the shower and readying myself for my day job.  I try to relax into this practice as I spiritually prepare for my day, but often there is an underlying sense of rushing present.

I was so looking forward to this week-long vacation and the vast expanse of free time that lay before me.  I envisioned lengthy, uninterrupted yoga practices each morning outside on the deck, overlooking the beautiful trees surrounding the property.  I projected there being plenty of time to teach yoga to my entire family each day and share the joys of the practice with them.  I daydreamed about yoga, yoga, yoga: because that is my bliss.

But the universe, and my family, had other plans.  I do indeed chuckle when I think back to that first morning in Vermont.  The temperature dropped down to the 50′s overnight, and I had only brought summery clothes, so I reluctantly opted to practice indoors.  There was an open loft overlooking the great room, which connected with the dining and kitchen areas.  People were sleeping in the loft, and the great room floor was super creaky, so I carefully unrolled my yoga mat on the kitchen floor, shoulders tense lest I make an unexpected noise and wake someone up!  I had just barely finished sun salutations when my sister appeared in her pj’s, excited to see me and give me a morning hug.  I continued to practice even as she whispered to me her excitement for the day.  The baby monitor buzzed, and suddenly my 2-year old niece started mumbling her morning hello’s.  Then everyone else started to wake up, and voices rose.  By this time I was doing seated postures, and somebody started the coffee, and people started to step over and around my body.  Rather than grumbling, I just got up and moved my mat to a far corner of the room, out of the way of the sudden chaos, and attempted savasana.  I couldn’t help but smile as I lay there, trying to “melt into the floor” while my family happily prepared breakfast, drawers and cupboards opening and closing noisily, creating a mildly chaotic environment.  It’s good practice to find stillness in the eye of the storm…

The following mornings followed a similar pattern- I would wake not long before everyone else, and my peaceful practice would be laced with the loving presence of my family.  But rather than be upset by the buzz, I embraced our time together.  I learned that there are so many ways to practice yoga- none of which are right or wrong.

My niece amazingly slept in a bit one morning, giving my sister and I some time to practice together, which was lovely and unexpected.  I taught my Mum some pose modifications to help her ease into some tight areas of her body.  I did a spontaneous short sequence that I found in Yoga Journal magazine with my future sister-in-law.  While my family was napping one late afternoon, I dissolved into some yin postures, allowing myself to sink into the shaggy carpet.  And when my adorable niece lay on her back, grabbing her tiny feet, I lay down next to her and mirrored her child’s pose.

I often hear the phrase “think outside the box”, but my vacation truly showed me how to “yoga outside the box”.

If you’ve ever practiced yoga in a crazy environment, what did you learn from the experience?

Choose love,
Grace

Share on Facebook