Introducing the Yoga Tool Kit
This is an except from my up coming book: 100 Days of Yoga
This is an except from my up coming book: 100 Days of Yoga
The yoga tool kit is a wholistic four tool system to build a healthy resilient you. It includes things that might not seem to be party of yoga like talking to a therapist, but yoga is union. It means brining things together to become whole.
What are tools in yoga tool kit?
The first tool in the tool kit is listening. Listening to our body, our mind, our state, listening to our insight and wisdom.
Why to listen? We are very wise. Nameste means “I bow to the light inside of you.” If you have the light, so do I! We all have the insight inside of us. We just need to be quiet enough to hear it.
Ways to listen:
1. Quiet the mind through yoga asana, pranayama, chanting, and meditation.
2. Self-inquiry. Ask yourself “How am I doing?” this can be in general or very specifically about a certain aspect of our being. I check in with myself several times a day and I journal. I have a journal where I do a physical check up every few weeks. What pains or ailments do I have? I keep a list so I can see trends. I also do this about the activities that I am doing for work and hobbies. What is bringing me energy and what is taking away energy?
3. Notice yourself talk throughout the day, keep a journal of any phrases you repeat.
4. Asking for feedback from others. Even people you don’t really like can give you interesting feedback. You don’t need to act on it or make any decisions, but it could be insightful.
5. Keep learning. I often learn something about an aspect of health then suddenly realize that I’ve been dealing with that very issue. Learning broadens our awareness and helps us listen to our being more clearly.
Combining these all can help you listen clearly to yourself.
The second tool in the tool kit is self-acceptance. This is a huge and lifelong journey for most people. It might be one short phrase but there are many layers to self-acceptance. Ways to assist in self-acceptance:
1.Yoga asana, pranayama, chanting and meditation can change your state and shift you to a new perspective that can help you. Having a daily practice will help you start recognizing the ways you can accept yourself more. This happened to me starkly one day. One day I heard a voice saying something negative about me and I clearly knew that it wasn’t “me” and it wasn’t true. I was able to distance myself from that voice.
2. Talking to a best friend honestly.
3. Find a good therapist- Sometimes you need professional help. Be willing to find it when you need it.
4. Using the lens of another person. Act as if the issue you are working on as if your best friend had it. Would you be kind to them?
5. Develop a mantra to work on the specific area you are focused on
The third tool in the tool kit is transformation Again a word that takes a huge amount of space. There are countless books on transformation such as this one. Transformation takes place when we take action. If we do not take action we will stagnate. Action takes strength and energy. Sometimes it is challenging even to have enough energy to remain the same. This book is here to help you with how to slowly gain more strength and energy.
The fourth tool in the yoga tool kit is becoming a light to others. When you are solid, strong, have your crap together you can have the space to be a good spouse, sister, mother, daughter, lover, neighbor, employer, employee, doctor, lawyer, seamstress, volunteer, you get the picture. You have enough energy to give some away.
