What is your “why” for practicing?
“When it comes to spiritual work, no one can ever define or understand it’s personal value except…[you], but the fact of the matter is that most people generally pursue self-development and spiritual work because they have a sense that it will somehow make them and their life better in some way…”
“[L]et us not be like little children who sow a seed today and dig it up tomorrow to see how much the root went down. We need all these three qualities: patience, devotion and faith [to be successful in our goal of embodying our highest expression in our lifetime].”
–The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Habits, routines, and muscle memory all take effort and time to develop (even the undesirable ones).
Some routines and practices are easier than others to internalize, and it may take very little time to build up the necessary habits that are required in order to successfully integrate these routines into your life, or into your being. This usually occurs when a new routine or practice is naturally supported, or strengthened, by something else that you already effortlessly or regularly do. For example, you may find that it is easy to integrate regular Asanas (body work) into your day as you focus on your already developed Pranayamas (breath work). This practice is complementary since effective breathing is useful for deepening muscle flexibility, strength, and functioning, and will also support you with becoming more present for that activity and, therefore, better equipped to use those same Asanas to further develop your Pratyaharas (control of the senses), Dharanas (concentration/focus), and Dhyanas (meditations) as well.
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“If you practiced at all [this week], I want to take the time to congratulate you on simply sticking with this important undertaking since the act of practicing in and of itself is one major part of your journey.
But, if you did not practice at all, or practiced very little, this week, well, then I want to remind you that you can simply start from where you are right now…so no worries at all.
In fact, that is your practice…it is eventually to have no worries at all.”
