About two months ago I started the “40 Days” program (http://www.baronbaptiste.com/40days/). I participated in it at a local yoga studio in Houston, Texas. My specific program involved 5 heated powerful flow classes at my studio and one home practice a week, twice a day meditation, mindful eating, and weekly meetings.
I was attracted to the program for the physical challenge. I wanted to push myself to do yoga everyday and I knew with a structured program I would commit to my practice. I don’t like to give up so if I said I would do it everyday, I’d do it everyday. And I did. For almost six weeks. Like a lot of newbie yogis I wanted to learn the “cool” poses. The sort of things you see in yoga photo shoots. I started the program with the goal to really be able to do headstand and crow. After the forty days I succeeded in my goals, but I got much more out of the program than a few photo worthy poses.
I found a way to make yoga a real part of my life and I learned how to lead myself through practices at home. Just me and my mat. And just like that all my excuses went out the door. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve convinced myself I don’t have time. Sometimes I really didn’t have time to drive 20 minutes to the studio, take a 60 minute class, and drive the 20 minutes back home. Sometimes I did. But once home practice became a real option the time concerns disapeared. There were no excuses not to get up 30 minutes earlier and move through a few vinyasas before my shower. There were no excuses not to spend the 20 minutes I had waiting for food to cook doing some hip openers.
The real benefit of my 40 days came in the realization that yoga could be a seemless part of my day. Wherever I found myself, however much time I had. I started this blog to hold myself to it. To continue to explore yoga as a part of my life and growth.
Discovering Yoga One Day at a Time 