LIVE WELL: What's your yoga practice look like?

I find myself often talking yoga around the watercooler at work. Recently, I mentioned to a co-worker who also does yoga that I practiced every day.

She was shocked and awed. “every day?” she said. “You never take a break?”no, I replied, and added a footnote: “Well, there’s more than just the postures.”She nodded sagely.

That’s why it’s called yoga practice. It’s a constant effort. and like anything else, it only improves with attention, time and practice.

The mere mention of the word yoga seems to conjure a couple of images for many. one is very physical, where limbs entwine in mystifying, seemingly unattainable ways. the second is very static, with simple stretching and breathing. both could be deemed correct.

There are eight limbs of yoga. the asana, or the postures, is the third limb. I’d say most people, including me, come to yoga in this way. Admittedly, I had no idea there was more to this “exercise” in the early gym classes I took. many folks might perch on the third limb forever. and that’s fine. It’s a wonderful way to build the health of your body.

However, those who delve into the physical practice often become intrigued. they find a hunger for yoga knowledge, and hunt it down in classes, books, workshops and teachers.

When I told my co-worker I practice every day, I didn’t mean that I do a 60- or 90-minute rigorous, sweat-producing class seven days a week. I mean that I try to practice the other limbs of yoga, too. Sometimes that involves no movement at all.

Pranayama, breath work or breath control, is the fourth limb. Sitting down to practice 10 minutes of Ujjayi pranayama or Nadi Shodhana, alternate-nostril breathing, can be your yoga practice today.

Limbs five through eight are devoted to the meditative aspects of yoga. You can spend a lifetime practicing pratyahara, the withdrawal of the senses; dharana, concentration; dhyana, meditation or contemplation; and samadhi, a state of bliss, ecstasy, enlightenment.

My own practice has wound its way through the latter limbs of yoga in the past year. it can look like a handful of sun salutations with breath work and sitting quietly, or an inspired hour of twisting, folding and pressing out the gunk of daily life.

This doesn’t even touch on the first two limbs, the yamas and niyamas. they are full of goodies like santosha, or practicing contentment; satya, living truthfully; and ahimsa, acting non-violently.

Hopefully you can see the ease of developing a daily yoga practice. There’s no need to feel intimidated. Don’t guilt-trip yourself into thinking that if you don’t devote a serious chunk of your day to warriors, headstands and arm balances, then you’re not really doing yoga.

Of course, it is lovely to go to a full-length class with a teacher you enjoy. But it’s just as lovely to spend 15 minutes sitting quietly in your living room focusing on your breath. or you could choose one yoga posture every week, like downward facing dog, and practice it with controlled breathing for five minutes first thing in the morning. maybe you’ll add on a posture at lunchtime and one more in the evening. Your schedule might be busy, but creating space in it for a forward fold and utakatasana (chair) posture might create more space between your thoughts.

What does your yoga practice look like? Drop me a line.—Jennifer Mulson teaches vinyasa yoga at Corepower Yoga and Gold’s Gym in Colorado Springs. Read more Live Well columns and watch yoga videos at gazette.com.

<a href="http://www.gazette.com/articles/yoga-106609-often-every.htmltag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.gazette.com/articles/yoga-106609-often-every.htmlThu, 21 Oct 2010 12:33:43 GMT 00:00″>LIVE WELL: What’s your yoga practice look like?

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