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Mental Flexibility vs Routine

​How do our inner dialogues relate to our routines and our ability to make desired changes in our lives? ​​​​​​L​ike a flick of the wrist​ our​ inner dialogues transpire​ so quickly they are almost unconscious decisions. ​“I practice on Mondays or only in the evenings or only in the mornings,” is a familiar inner dialogue ​we all can ​relate to ​but how does it play out in our daily lives?

One scenario may look something like this: your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze button to catch those extra fifteen min​ute​​s of sleep which don’t really make a difference but you just gotta have them​. W​hen you finally do rise, thirty minutes later, you quickly rationalize that now you won’t have time for yoga because your day is too busy and you lost your window of opportunity for practice by sleeping late. The inner dialogue ​about when you practice is a subtle aspect of your weekly routine that may be undermining your ability to attain certain goals.

If you can begin to bring greater awareness to your inner dialogues ​then you can​ create healthier patterns for your life. ​ One way to do this is with a consistent Ashtanga practice. Mental flexibility cultivates consistency which leads to equanimity in life (Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 1.12.)

Routine acts ​like a boundary and ​​provides a ​container from which we ​can ​move and expand. Without routine we lose focus and direction. However, structure like all things good in life​ ​require​ balance. Routine​ without flexibility​​ i​s not always practical within the constantly changing circumstances of our ​daily ​lives. ​​

​It is important to be flexible so that if you can’t practice at your usual time, you can practice in the evenings o​r in the middle of your day​. One of the beautiful things about an Ashtanga practice​​ is that if you can’t make it to a class you still know what to do to practice on your own. Another option is to ​​s​horten your practice but with greater ​emphasis​​ on drishti​, bandha or ​breath.​ The greatest benefits from practice arise when we least “​want” to practice. With flexibility comes consistency then your very being is the container for expansion.

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