Yoga for Discipline

This is my very favorite definition of discipline. I love its truth, its simplicity. But, simple and easy are not the same thing!

Remembering is not easy. We all have so much to remember on a daily basis. Work deadlines, family obligations, chores, errands…the list goes on and on. It’s only natural that we forget sometimes.

So, we have tools for remembering these kinds of things. We make lists. We write reminders on our bathroom mirror. We set alarms. We surround ourselves with sticky notes.

But, how do we remember our heart’s longing, our deepest hopes and dreams? It’s particularly challenging with a fleeting desire competes for our attention.

“Forget the carrots and hummus, what I really want is 10 Oreos!”

“Let me just check Facebook real quick before I go for that walk.”

“Oh, I can catch up on sleep this weekend; I really want to finish watching this TV show.”

All of these are examples of disconnection. We are routinely, chronically disconnected from our authentic, true selves. We forget because we have disengaged and detached from what it is we really want.

Yoga is a tool for reconnecting. The mat is a place where we remember.

I saved this post for last in this series, because if you’re already putting to practice the yoga tools for building strength, maintaining a healthy heart and improving your sleep you have already discovered – discipline is a natural byproduct of your yoga practice.

If you want to improve your ability to remember what you really want, practice at least 20 minutes of asana three – five times a week (start with the poses here), and do Savasana every single day. It will be like writing sticky notes all over your subconscious.

Have you already discovered this wonderful side effect of yoga? How has yoga improved your discipline? I want to hear all about it!

P.S. This post is part of a series about how I’ve used yoga to transform my body. See here for additional posts in this series.