Our world moves quickly.  It is ever-changing and technology is a constant reminder of this.  As the world evolves, so do we.  As the pace of life quickens, so does our own pace as we strive to keep up with all the changes.  We may rush through our day and rush through meals, rush to get to work and rush to get deals!  Then we rush back home to have dinner and rush to settle in for the evening.  Wait!  Rush to settle down?  That doesn’t sound right!

Hurrying up to slow down seems like a paradox of our times.  It may be necessary though to create the right pace in life for ourselves.  Only when we are out of breath do we realize that we have taken on too much.   This is the lesson that I learned when I found myself running late for my weekly yoga class.

Time had escaped me during my morning activities and before I knew it, I was rushing out the door with my blue yoga mat sailing behind me.  Luckily the studio clock was a little slower than mine and I still had a few minutes to spare.  With my heart still palpitating, I found a spot to lay out my mat and prepare myself.  As the session began, the instructor guided us to focus on our breath.  No problem here!  Easy peasy!  My breath actually commanded attention!  My heart beat perfectly in synch with my rapid breathing!  With my racing mind, palpitating heart, and rapid breath work, I was perfectly out of synch with my yoga practice!  That was when I realized how silly it was to ‘rush to relax’.  It was a shameful violation of the practice on my part and I am sure that if there was such a thing as the Yoga police, I would have been arrested right then and there for improper breath work.  They would have slapped organically baked pretzel cuffs on my wrists and taken me away in a Rice Paddy wagon for months of serious meditation!  That might not have been a bad consequence but I still at the thought of being arrested.  Fortunately for me, the only police present were those in my imagination and even there, they were slowly receding as my mind settled down into my practice.

You will be glad to know that I no longer race to Yoga classes.  I have learned my lesson and intend to keep the police at bay for as long as possible.  Now, instead of losing track of time, I mindfully keep the hour before Yoga rather dull and uneventful.  I may putter with mindless tasks and arrive in plenty of time to begin my practice with a calm mind, peaceful heart and relaxed breathing.  The benefits of regular practice are far-reaching and the more I practice, the more it becomes a natural part of my wellness regime, regardless I am in a Yoga studio or not.  What activity do you commit to regularly in maintaining your own wellness?  I hope it is something that you really enjoy and always look forward to.  Your mind and body will love you for it and you may be rewarded with many extra years of vitality!