I’ve been thinking about the word practice a lot lately.
When I first started, ahem, practicing yoga, it felt really strange to say “my yoga practice.” The worlds felt funny coming out of my mouth. Why not just say “do yoga?” Is that not what we are doing here? I didn’t quite get it.
Once I started thinking about the word though, and really thinking about what it means to practice something, it started to click. I started to see the practice in everything, really. That not only do I practice physically on the mat, but that there are practices in everyday situations.
Hmm, let’s see. I’ll give you an example. Take today for instance.
I woke up this morning, feeling stiff, rusty and just plain funky. My hips and hamstrings are tight beyond recognition, and a forward fold was just what I needed to work out the kinks. Well, my little forward fold turned into a 40 minute yoga practice. So in this case, it was practicing getting the kinks out and was based on how I was feeling today, not what I felt yesterday, what I felt weeks ago, and what I might feel tomorrow. Are you followin’ me?
After my yoga session, I munched on my new favorite breakfast – a sliced pink lady and a very generous spoonful of almond butter. Yum.
Fueled with a healthy breakfast (followed later some leftover vegetable stew), and feeling fit and healthy after my yoga session, I headed to class at my photography teachers apartment right by Notre Dame, partaking in a different kind of practice – the practice of well…balance? This one might be a stretch, but I was craving something…naughty.
Oopsie.
The word practice came up yet again in photography class. We were practicing creative writing, not doing it. Some days the words flow, other days you struggle to pick the pen up. You don’t just sit down and do it. Each time you pick up the pen, it’s different, a reflection of your circumstances at that exact moment. Same with taking pictures – you don’t just take them, you practice framing, and composition and all that jazz. And yoga too – you don’t just do certain poses, you practice what feels right. I think this is getting clearer now, yes?
After several adventures in creative writing, and a few technical tips on photography, my friend Jane and I left class and wandered through the 5th arrondissement, taking in the sites, and stopping for a sweet treat.
Now this, this was a practice in letting go for me. Gelato…before dinner. It’s not just something I can do easily. It’s a constant practice of letting go, relaxing, and enjoying, well, life. Because life is too short to not eat flower shaped gelato!
The practice of letting go, and enjoying the moment continued at a nearby cafe for some French onion soup, a glass of red wine, and a heart to heart with a good friend that couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.
I’m not sure why, but the world practice was heavy on my mind today. Jane and I talked a lot about our experience here in Paris, and how we’ve been less than gentle with ourselves – expecting to just do things, that everything would come easily and as it normally does. But this experience is yet another practice in the grand scheme, and a huge lesson for whatever practices come our way.
We realized today, sitting in the cafe, sipping wine and devouring steaming hot soup, that it’s okay to just take the practice as it comes. Perhaps I’m talking myself in circles here and at this point, you either think I’m nutzo, or you are totally getting what I’m saying. I’m gonna hope that it’s the latter.
I think the bottom line is that everything is a series of practices – you never just do something. Every time you pick up the pen to write, or you hop on the mat for a yoga session, the experience is different – it’s a practice that relates to where you are in that exact moment. We are constantly changing and evolving, and every day the practice, the experience, is different and shaped by what has come before.
I wanted to share these thoughts, however random and far-fetched they might sound, because thinking about it in this way today made me feel a little more..hmm, how shall I put this…gentle Yah, gentle is a good word. Gentle towards myself and towards the daily ebb and flow of life. Yes, a lot of my practices are different these days – physically, mentally, socially. It’s a different kind of practice right now. And everyday is different. This is no new thought, or novel idea, but maybe sharing my thoughts with you can help you be more gentle on yourself too – at least I hope!
Well, I’m done rambling for today. Speaking of practices – don’t forget to enter my giveaway for a year long YogaDownload subscription! There’s also a coupon code there for 35% off of your purchases through March 31, so everyone can get in on the yoga practice lovin’.
What do you think? Do you relate to the word practice in this way? What are some of your daily practices? What does the word mean to you?
Practice and all is coming.
– Sri K. Pattabhi Jois
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Very thought provoking message! You have given me a lot to think about… I do agree with you though! I would like to think that I have practiced…to be better in every aspect of my life on a daily basis!
Thank you for grounding me and having me feel the earth under my feet again…I think I am going to go back and re-read your message again…
I agree with everything you have written here, very great words and I too have been given a lot to think about.
I have a mug that says ‘Learning Life”, and it’s so true, we are constantly “learning life” and practicing certain skills. No one is perfect and no one will ever be perfect. Besides, who cares if someone is even close to perfect? All that matters is who you are and how you’ll be remembered :)
I practice balance with running… Sometimes it happens and sometime I have to practice again:)
You mention a lot about being gentle with yourself and I know exactly what you mean. I think it comes easier with time, but we’re all often so hard on ourselves, and it stops us from missing the most precious moments. I feel every year I become a little more gentle with myself. It’s a learning experience. Your thoughts, words and photos are beautiful as always. And I think I bought the same brand of almond butter while in Paris! Diivvviiinnnnee.
p.s the massive bar of Poulain in my fridge did not last very long
How funny — I just mentioned in a post recently how I feel funny using the word “practice” with yoga. I feel like it makes me sound snobby. But, really, like you said, “practice” is such a humbling idea. Yoga isn’t a performance; it’s a practice. There’s no absolute right way to go about it; it’s all about seeing where you are on each day. I love that idea, as I tend to get very attached to rituals and routines, and I’m unnerved with disruptions to sameness. Yoga is so much about surrender. I just recently “got” that. It’s not about struggling through each pose. It’s about giving in to it. That’s totally transformational for me. I practice letting go, or I try to. I practice staying in the moment, as I tend to drift way into the future. I practice compassion, as I can be very judgmental. And I practice forgiveness, with others and myself.
Thanks for this!
I can definitely understand what you are saying. I think that the key to being able to let go is realizing that nothing is final and that, like you said, we’re never just doing – we’re practicing. Its hard though – to face the unknown as opposed to the tried and true – you know? I think its always going to be a challenge for me to keep from planning too far ahead, expecting too much, or having that rose shaped gelato before dinner, but I’m going to keep trying (practicing?) at letting go!
I love your ‘generous spoonful’. Pommes et puree d’amandes is one of my favorite snacks too (see how I’m using you’re being in Paris as an excuse to practice- Practice!- my limited French?), but whenever I eat it I seem to go through half a jar of almond butter. With just 1 apple! I suppose I love the word practice too. I practice yoga regularly, but usually refrain from calling myself a yogini for fear that my practice doesn’t quite live up to the status. I practice Buddhism, and while Buddhist teachings have great impact on my every day life and my choices, I don’t necessarily consider myself a Buddhist. I practice French as often as I get the chance (but am by no means a French-speaker) and I practice being good to my body, my self and the world around me more and more every day, not because I should, be because I enjoy the practice! To practice, rather than to do or ‘to should’, somehow feels both liberating and encouraging.
girl, all of life is a practice for me! i love your explanation though…and that apple with nut butter :)
Beautiful post.
I think yoga is and always will be a practice- no matter how long one has done it, no matter where or when one does it. It is never perfect because there is no perfect way to do it- it is different for every individual and everyday the same yoga routine seems different.
Take for example, the fact that I have done Bikram yoga for years. Yet each time I walk into a class, my ‘practice’ is so different from the day before, from the week before….and of course those in the future. I have been doing the exact same series of postures yet not one practice is same as another. I think that’s one of the reason yoga is beautiful- you can never guess how your practice is going to be.
After branching out to other styles of yoga, I think the word ‘practice’ is even more relevant to me. When I first started, I tried perfecting every posture, syncing breath mechanically and not letting it come naturally. But now I know that it is more about the journey of reaching that personal ‘perfect’- which I call ‘practice’.
I hope I don’t sound too confusing!
You take the most beautiful photos! The “practice” is paying off.
Some great points here – it’s a great way to look at things. I think it also would help me to be less harsh with myself at times if I keep this thought in mind.
I can totally relate to the need to be more “gentle” with myself. I think it stems from wanting to always be in motion, trying new things, and being productive. I tend to get frustrated when I’m not good at something right off the bat, and this definitely makes me think deeper about that. Many thanks. :)
I practice: cooking, drawing, yoga, writing, photography, running, stretching (?), and gardening. I’m sure there are many more. Boy, all this practicing must take a lot of time!
This was a wonderfully thoughtful post. It’s funny because when I went to Paris it tested me to the core- being on my own in a foreign country, being able to take things on myself, making myself comfortable in every situation, dealing with my past eating issues, living life to the fullest and being gentle to myself. A lot of what I went through during my stay, I see a piece through you and while I know it’s been hard, those lessons will make you stronger and change you for the years to come. I feel I left my heart there and you might of might not feel the same way, but I’m so glad you’ve been able to think about bits and parts of your life and how they’ve changed for the better :)
Ok. First off I want to say WOW I love your photography skills, particularly highlighting the picture of the flower gelato and the seat backs in the cafe, the long one looking down the row. Love that one.
What do I think of the word ‘practice’? Hmm…tough one. I’d always just assumed it was a word, I’d never thought about it. I suppose practice to me means that it’s not perfect. You practice something to get better. You don’t know the outcome but you are trying for the best. There are no guarantees, risk is involved but if you continue doing it, the likelihood is that it will work for the best. I dunno, that’s just my idea.
Once again, love your photos, love your blog, love your day to day Parisian-ness.
I’m such a Francophile, it’s scary…
x
I find myself practicing a lot of the same things you mentioned in this post. Balance, body acceptance, yoga, and letting go. The old micro-managing eater is always eager to fuel me with guilt whenever I indulge in a rich treat, but I’m practicing letting go of that voice and all the shame that came with it.
Your flower gelato is mesmerizing!
I LOVED this post! I wrote a post last night on my own yoga practice, so this post totally resonated with me. I am, many times, too hard on myself- with yoga, practicing enough or not enough, with running, getting a certain number of miles in, etc. I need to learn to be gentle- and remember, everything is a PRACTICE.
I practice yoga, every day. I want to say my running is a practice, as is my writing.
Great post!
xo
K
I love this post! Using the work practice, I’ve found, is beneficial because it means that I can only keep improving and that beating myself up really does nothing in the long run.
Yes! I totally get what you are saying. I feel this way about yoga of course, but I also feel this way about other random things, like dating for instance. Everyone always tries to take relationships and dating people so seriously. For me, I try to look at it like practice–practice getting to know people and learning how to communicate and learning how to compromise and respect other people and just enjoy other’s company. I also look at dating as a way to practice getting to know myself. It is a helpful way to frame things, because you can’t look back on it and point out the things you did wrong or what went badly, you can only look back and figure out what you learned, what you took away from that “practice.”
Sometimes I feel like this with a bikram session. I wonder why I struggled and then I remind myself every day is a new day, every practice teaches you something new about yourself, you just have to be open to that lesson.
I love your outlook on life, what a beautiful person you seem to be!
i think you’re going through your very own “eat, love, pray”-experience right now … considering that it is one of your favourite books, that’s not a bad thing, is it?
I tried yoga for the first time almost a year and a half ago. I remember my first yoga teacher saying, “it’s ok to test your edges. It’s ok to fall. That’s why we call this a yoga PRACTICE. ” My perfectionist, self-critical mind found incredible freedom in that. I’d sit in pidgeon (an uncomfortable pose for me) and think of a difficult situation I was in. Then I’d think, “you’re not just going to run away from this situation, are you? You have to sit through it.” So liberating.
I’ve been thinking a lot about exactly this. Yoga is definitely part of my inspiration to be more kind to myself. I actually wrote about it last night :)
Enjoy Paris! I love your practice of letting go. It’s tough for some of us used to structure.
What a great subject! My yoga instructors are always telling us not to get frustrated if we can’t bend as far or balance as well one day or another. Everyday is different and it’s called yoga PRACTICE for a reason. It is an interesting thing to think about. If we could let ourselves be ok with the fact that everything is practice and a learning expereince, we might not be so hard on ourselves or expect perfection all the time (on the mat and off).