PONDERING WHAT TO WRITE . . .

Ever have a day (or morning) when there are thoughts percolating so rapidly that it's difficult to focus.  That would describe me right now. I think of something to write about, then forget or get distracted, come back to it - only to be distracted again.

I just received a Facebook message from a friend who is on an incredible journey -- loaded her car with baggage and cat, and headed out on a road trip. She's at her destination with only one minor glitch - the cat got sick for a couple days, postponing travel as the cat recovered.  Fortunately, the cat chose to get sick where the scenery is beautiful, there is a great yoga studio and a wonderful ayurvedic specialist (and a good vet); so their time spent as cat recovered was not wasted.

Why tell you all this? This friend spent several months incapacitated with an illness recently. So ill, that her regular yoga practice was interrupted -- much to her dismay. At that time, she asked me for thoughts on how to deal with this turn of events.  

Upon reflection, I remembered a similar situation (different friend), who - due to an injury - was bedridden for several months.  JF's advice to this person was "do your practice; do your practice in your mind".

I shared JF's advice with the traveling friend. She has since told me that the advice was helpful. She's back to her regular physical practice, and though she worried she would be 'rusty' at it - she wasn't; she credits the 'mental movement' for carrying her through the physically inactive phase of her life.

As I sit here, I just tried it -- moving through a sun salutation in my mind. Interesting how the breath immediately sync'd up with the 'mental movement'. I became more relaxed, my breath deepened.

And, I'm sharing this with you because I think - especially with 3 examples (my 2 friends and myself) - that it can be a healing tool.  Not just to carry us through times when we worry our practice may get 'rusty', but also as a means to calm a mind that may be confined in a less-than-mobile situation.  A means for even the mobile to get their yoga in, if only in their mind.

So, try it -- I think I may incorporate some 'mental movement' into my days when long waits or stressful situations are involved (DMV, dental or doctor appointments - like that).

Today the schedule looks like:
    House & studio work (paperwork / cleaning) in the a.m.
    Pilates with Cindy
    Teaching YogaHour at 4 pm
  
Hope your Thursday is a good one,