Daily Practice: proof is in the...headstand!

 I have to admit that keeping up a daily yoga practice is something I struggle with.  I know all the benefits. I know my practice would improve dramatically.  And I know I would feel SO MUCH BETTER.  But you know…life gets in the way.  There are only so many hours in a day. And I do a lot of other good practices every day. So, I tell myself that some yoga is better than no yoga. And that’s true, of course.  No judgement, right? That’s another good daily practice.
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In the weekly class I attend, we work on inversions almost every class.  I’ve been working on my headstand.  I’ve been struggling with the concept of rolling up rather than kicking up.  And this isn’t great for my neck.  I also practice near the wall because of course, when I kick up, I over-compensate and end up against the wall.  Every time. 

(by the way…this is a “do as I say, not as I do moment.” Do not do at home!)

But I’ve been close to my headstand.  Very close.  So close that I said to my husband a few weeks ago that, if I’d just practice every day, I’d have it in no time. And then I went back to making my choice not to practice every day.

​I’ve also been seeing a physiotherapist who has helped me in amazing ways.  Pretty close to graduating from there and I’m super excited about the improvements!  If you need a reference, give me a shout.

Fast forward to last week. My physio and I are now to the point of practical, yoga-related movements to help me get back to my full practice without pain. She asked me last week which poses I am working on where I am pushing myself just beyond my physical capabilities.  Of course, I mentioned the headstand.

So guess what she recommended?  Practicing every day!  Just practice the “rolling up” part, she said. But do it every day, a few times a day.

The next morning, I practiced rolling up. Practicing only this part changed my thinking and my approach.  I used a lot more control, and a lot more patience. I incorporated some other instructions from my yoga teacher.  And I almost rolled up.

The next day, I did it again. And the day after that, I rolled up to my headstand for the first time. Five days later I am rolling up consistently, every day, not even touching the wall, and holding my headstands for 30 seconds each.

All this after a week of daily practice. So, there is clearly reason that the experts recommend daily practice.  Duh.  That’s why they are experts! And it pays off in big ways.  Even as a kid I couldn’t consistently do a headstand. And now, at 50, I can!

Next up? Pincha mayurasana.  That one will be a little more of a challenge.  But now I know that if I practice every day, it will happen, and probably pretty quickly.  The proof is in my headstand.  Stay tuned for pics… 😊

What might you be able to accomplish if you practiced every day?  I challenge you to try it.  And let me know how it goes!

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