When is the best time to practice? (Part 2)

As alluded to in an earlier post (click here), yoga is not all about the Asana.  Yoga is a practice...something you do to connect with your inner self.  A yoga practice asks you to slow down and notice.  This is fairly difficult for many of us who are pre-programmed to be "busy" all the time.

Yes, I am one of those people who has a hard time just sitting.  There's always something to do, some chore to complete, some place to be, some person to assist with some task or another.  I find that yoga is good for me because it forces me to stop "doing" and just start "being"...but just sitting there will make me feel like I'm about to jump out of my skin, so the asana (moving my body into and out of specific postures) helps focus my attention on the present moment.  For someone who is somewhat proficient at multi-tasking, when I start moving on the mat, it requires my undivided attention to keep these ol' bones from falling.  I am forced to focus exclusively on balancing myself, moving gracefully, living solely in the present.  This is common with a lot of people, so it's worthwhile exploring when the best time is to practice ASANA.

You can "practice" yoga at any time, but depending on the time of day, you might need to make a decision about which type of Asana is best...but this of course, depends on your body, your mood, and your level of experience.  For example, upon waking, many people feel stiff and wouldn't even think about hopping right onto the mat for a sun salutation (or two).  Other people notice the stiffness, and think a few rounds of sun sals will work it right out and get the juices flowing.  The morning is a good time to slowly warm up - perhaps doing more warm-up poses than typical and gradually progressing to a few standing poses to build some strength for your day.  The afternoon, when most people are already well into their day, and energy levels are up, might be a good time for a more vigorous asana practice; something with more vinyasas and a little hopping and/or jumping (although I must say that an early morning practice never stops Kate from throwing some hops and jumps at us!).  The evening is when the majority of people are winding down for the day.  I know there are a few night owls out there, and they want a peppy pm practice to get their energy levels up for a long night, but I'm not one of those kinda birds!  An evening practice can be more restorative and gentle, with perhaps more of a cool down and longer savasana than is typical.

The take-away is that it really is up to you  - or should I say your body, because ultimately, the flesh and bones are what Asana is about.  It's important to honor the limitations (and requests!) of your body when choosing the type of yoga practice that best suits you.  If a practice is too vigorous for you in the middle of the day, your body will let you know - open your mind to listen to it.  If your limbs are up for more of a work out in the morning, go for it.  A yoga practice is about SO many things, including finding your edge, and know that there is no perfect time or place to do yoga, other than the present.