How can I be loving and kind today?
I finished a 200-hour Hatha yoga training!
After several months on the mat, it feels like a beginning. Doors are opening to hallways of doors. It’s exciting to share the impact these practices are having on me.
I’ll try to express rather than impress. Right now it doesn’t look like topless handstands. Partly because I can’t physically do that. Mainly to share yoga through an accessible lens.
Yogic texts and Buddhism speak into balance. Connecting to a practice that has both effort (’sthira’) and ease (’sukkha’). A sustainable ‘middle way’ between extremes.
I hope my shares can reveal how this can happen both on and off the mat.
Right now it feels authentic to do that through my 40-day sadhanas.
‘How can I be loving and kind today?’
This became the question centring my first 40-day sadhana.
A 40-day sadhana is a dedication towards an aspect of self. In practice, it could be daily behaviours like yoga, meditations, or actions. The 40 consecutive days are a chance to create new habits where it can impact everyday life.
Bringing awareness to the heart was my first attempt. Shifting from South America to South Asia felt supportive to a dedicated practice. Late nights salsa dancing swapped to mornings on the mat. A reminder of how environments help different parts thrive.
I kept the heart intention open to adapt to India.
Chest awareness for energy. Cali hit me with poor sleeps. My extensive moon practices counteracted Cali’s wildness. It made me steady but sluggish.
Tibetan Teachings
Deeper intentions of the 40-days revealed itself at my first silent retreat.
Love and kindness.
The Tibetan story is compelling. Oppressed and challenged, their expression of love and kindness holds emotion. It’s inspiring witnessing their non-violent communication. Gathering 94 people from 21 countries in harmony shows the power of their message.
Being at the Tushita meditation centre for ten-days made me ask myself:
‘how can I be loving and kind today?’
Yoga and Flexibility
40 days of showing up I noticed the importance of flexibility. Not physically, although it needs work, I won’t go into that now, but from a routine perspective.
Who has time for a 90-minute practice everyday?
Sometimes I don’t have capacity to show up how I want. I can’t always be in yoga and meditation refuges. Other parts of me must exist. Fitting them all in my day isn’t necessarily better.
A question posed from teachers and mentors:
‘what’s the least I can do to show up for myself today?’
At the end of the block, the least I could do was:
Setting aside a few intentional minutes to meditate
Placing my hands on my heart
Chanting the heart mantra ‘YAM’ nine times
Reflecting and feeling into the experience
Dedicating the day to be loving and kind to both myself and all beings I interact with that day
Love and kindness resources
If you’re still here, a question for you:
‘how can I be loving and kind today?’
Resources that helped me for the 40 days:
