I’ve been on a looooong vacation now, and it’s taken me away from the mat and my practice. I’ve been on my feet for days rushing from one tourist destination to another and trying to take in overwhelming sites and sounds. It’s led to tremendous growth for me intellectually, but for the last couple of days I’ve started to miss the familiarity of the usual yoga routine. Once I get back home I know it will be a few days, perhaps weeks before I can bend that much further, or hold the pose for that much longer. And I have to admit there is a bit of anxiety because of this.
But if Yoga is a lifestyle then it never really leaves you. When you get tired of all the walking around you sit down, straighten your back and inhale deeply. When everything gets overwhelming you expel stale air from your lungs and et ready to inhale newness. When your anxiety gets the better of you, you close your eyes and once again inhale deeply and accept that all things in life are not in your control, but staying calm and steady in the face of anxiety is in your control.
So even if you are away from your mat for a couple of weeks, take in a deep breath and understand that Yoga is with you in every breath.