Living Yoga

Today I did my long run of the week, 9 miles.  I'm building up one mile a week and have started doing 1 or 2 of my weekly runs on a treadmill.  Well treadmills bore the crap out of me.  Especially 9 miles on a treadmill,  (I might as well express myself freely here right!) and I found my mind wandering.  

My mind really started wandering at about mile 4 or 5.  I had had a cramp in my side for a few miles and I think I was trying to escape the discomfort by being in my head.  I also was periodically feeling like I needed some replenishment and even getting a little light headed.  (I listened to my body and gave it some water here and there as well as a bite of a cliff bar mid run.)


I needed to change something if I was going to last for 9 miles.  I remembered how part of the benefit of savasana after an asana practice is that it is a time for your mind to rest so that your body can use all of that energy for healing.  Mental energy is energy used by your mind that could otherwise be saved for your body.  At that point I consciously directed my awareness into my core, and 1st and 2nd chakras.  I thought about and felt my body being energized through the first chakra, and the 1st chakra taking in energy from the earth.  Any time I started feeling a little less energized or light headed I was reminded to stop thinking and come back into my body awareness.  With the help of this awareness, I was able to make it through my 9 mile run strong.


Yoga has given me so much body awareness that comes in so useful in other areas of my life.  Yoga gives my body more flexibility to help prevent injury in other activities, it teaches my body to find peace in my breath even in physically challenging circumstances,  and yoga helps me be more aware so I can find more enjoyment in staying physically, spiritually and emotionally open.