What turns you on? What lights you up? Often the answers to these questions mean the difference between ho hum and humdinger. And yet, these questions, when asked, are often met with a quizzical look and a, "I don't know" response.
I've been thinking about this a lot lately, as I've become more aware of those days when things feel joyful and effortless (or should I say, I've become more aware of my attachment to those days). After wondering, "why can't every day be like that?!?!" one too many times, I decided to take some notes -- literally. It wasn't so much as what was happening and more about how I was being/feeling.
This little project got me thinking about yoga (no surprise there) -- what is it that calls a person to his/her yoga mat again and again while others struggle to even practice sporadically? Just as I discovered my daily muses -- the things that juice me up and transform my day from monotonous to a feeling of juicy aliveness -- what are my yoga muses? What calls me back to the mat each day -- even on those days when I just want to crawl back into bed and throw the covers over my head?
For some yoga practitioners it's a particular yoga teacher or a style of yoga. For others it's the feeling of presence while practicing. And for others it might be the physical sensations one has while practicing. The list goes on and on. Find your yoga muse and I'll bet your practice becomes more devotional than duty.
What's your yoga muse? What keeps you coming back to your mat, come hell or bad karma?
Heck, take it one step further and ask yourself -- what's my life muse(s)? What revs you up and makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning?
My humble suggestion -- if you don't know the answers to these questions, give it some thought. Getting conscious about it and actually writing it down proved to be quite helpful for me. Try it.
And while we're on the topic of muses, here are a few other aMUSEments for you:
- I like to practice yoga in silence, but if music is a muse for you, check out the newly-launched YogiTunes. YogiTunes is a digital download store featuring U.S. and world music specifically selected to complement yoga, dance, meditation, massage, and a wellness-based lifestyle. The site offers thousands of handpicked albums and artists as well as featured playlists from yoga teachers including Shiva Rea, Sadie Nardini, and Hemalayaa.
- How about wearing your inspiration? I'm a big fan of this idea, so it's no surprise that I love Musewear Flip Flops. Musewear's Walk the Talk line of flip flops features uplifting quotes (along with some striking artwork) from luminaries like the Dalai Lama, Gandhi, and Buddha. If humor inspires you, then check out Musewear's Wit Flips, which offer up quirky, funny quotes sure to elicit a laugh. The price for these unique (and recyclable) flip flops may seem high at $45 but the company gives 15% of the profits to charities.
Namaste!