Sunday morning 6:45 am, I crawl out of bed, since the rooster woke me up and the window without curtains reveals the upcoming day. Also, I’m still in my working rhythm and not able to sleep after 7 am anymore. So let’s practice some yoga then, is the conclusion of my mind. I feel tired, drained and a bit dizzy. I’m probably hungry already –since we didn’t have a big dinner last night – and grab some soya milk and orange juice, my favorite mix drink. Let’s do a toilet stop as well. Okay enough procrastination now; let’s do what you love: YOGA! I start by lying down on my back and easing myself into some movement after a long night sleep. I practice several hamstring stretches, twists and child’s pose. I don’t really feel like doing a vigorous practice this morning, so I promise myself to listen to my body and take it easy. My partner is still lying in bed, trying to have some more sleep and rest. ‘Why am I doing yoga again?’ – is the question that pops up in my mind. The answer arrives straight away: ‘Since you have to do yoga every day. You’re starting your Teacher’s Training soon, so you need to get serious about your own practice.’ I remind myself about the big difference between a yoga student and a yoga teacher. A yoga teacher don’t have to go to class, since a teacher has established a regular home practice. On the contrary, a yoga student needs a teacher to practice yoga. Most famous and inspiring yoga teachers practice yoga every day themselves, so I should at least follow their example. Nevertheless, I end up back in bed to cuddle with my partner. I share my thoughts with him and he replies: “Today you will practice ‘Real Life Yoga’. These words calm me down immediately. ‘Real Life Yoga’ sounds perfect to me. Why should I be so hard on myself? Yoga is about listening to your body and not about following your endless mind chatter.

I have just started reading a book about emotional yoga and read a perfect quote; ‘You are not responsible for your emotions, but you can take responsibility for your moods.’ Or with other words are you going to hold on to an emotion or are you going to experience it fully and then let it go? My mood can go up and down quite a bit. I can feel enormously grateful & happy at days and another moment I can feel extremely sad and worthless. I have the habit to run around like a headless chicken, trying to finish all my tasks as soon as possible. I have little patient and struggle to sit still. Therefore I’m easily stressed or agitated. Yoga is perfect for me. It allows me to connect with my body, to slow down, to breathe and to feel. My focus is on experiencing my emotions and let go with the result of balancing my moods. Life is a great teacher.

Namasté!