Devoting Myself to My Practice

A year ago today I arrived in India for a 10-day retreat after a 9 year hiatus. It was the first time in probably that long that I was able to entirely devote myself to my own practice. It was then I decided that I would come to India every year for this experience, so that I could continue to deepen my personal practice and studies with Yoga and ultimately raise my vibrations to my higher purpose of teaching and sharing my knowledge. Well alas, the universe had different plans for me this year. However, rather than chalking it up to another missed opportunity I have decided to still devote this time to my practice and studies. 

So in addition to my daily meditation, I am also reconnecting to my teacher Anand in India the same way everyone else is these days, online. I've chosen a 10 chapter course, The Road to Dharma, which is also part of a docu-series on AppleTV+ that I loved. I plan to do the readings and watch the dharma talks each day before sitting down to my computer and letting my work pull me in. It will require a commitment and a little discipline, but this is also the only way to make it happen. My hope through these next 10 days is that I will break down some of the mental barriers I have set up that are not serving me. That I will re-invigorate my creativity and re-inspire my writing projects and other projects I have wanted to bring forward for quite some time.

How we decide to show up for ourself looks different for everyone. While this online retreat serves me as a Yoga Teacher and Teacher of Teachers to deepen my studies, you may be craving something very different. It may be committing to your daily meditation so you can be more present and grounded through your day. It may be a commitment to your movement practice either with Yoga or something else, or taking time each day to chip away at that project you've been neglecting. Is there a teacher you admire? A book you've been wanting to read? In what way over the next couple of weeks can you make a similar commitment to yourself? How will you devote yourself to your own practice?