Practicing Yoga 'Off the Mat'

Each week I provide my group class students with what I call a 'suggested home practice'. This, I —and my students— find, is greatly contributing to getting benefits from Yoga. Here's the final practice of my 10-week Summer Course. It's all about practicing Yoga 'off the mat'.

I've been thinking about would be an appropriate final 'suggested home practice' of the Yoga Summer Course 2009.

So far, all home practices were to be done On The Mat, so to speak. This week's practice is one for Off The Mat (one could argue this is where the rubber hits the road!). Pick any of the ideas below that speak to you.

Here goes:

1. Try to be mindful of the breath at different times during the day. Perhaps a good moment is when you're in traffic, waiting for a red light to turn green. Or at work after finishing your lunch break; a few breaths with a very gentle ujjayi can perhaps feel like the perfect 'dessert'? ;-)
2. As you move about during the day, try to carry yourself with ease. We don't just 'do postures on the mat' - we do postures all day long! How can you improve your own posture and reduce unnecessary tension in your body as you go about your day?
3. Develop awareness of your own mental state. If you're feeling busy or rushed, then surely somewhere in you there's a place that's at least a little bit calmer? I'm not talking mystical stuff here. But if the head is busy, perhaps your feet (by way of example) don't have quite the same sensations, so try to project your awareness there.
   

Finally, I'd like to thank everyone for attending classes this summer. For me, meeting you has certainly contributed to making my summer most enjoyable. I sincerely hope that you've been able to take away a few valuable ideas from this course and feel that you understand Yoga a bit better.