One of the single most obstacles for many of us in life is time. As we wade through days, months and years, taking `time out´seems to be a luxury many can´t afford. We are busier than ever, and neglect taking a moment away from the world to concentrate on ourselves. Yet we exist in a place that requires us to be present. To perform. Present. Participate. How can we do this fully if we don´t make sure we are centred and present within ourselves?

I am priviliged to meet many incredible people through teaching. A recurring problem is being able to commit to a regular practice for themselves. You see, simply turning up to class alone doesn´t count. Your practice is your commitment to yourself and the physical element of your asana is just part of it. It´s about the way you lead your life, how you take care of yourself, your place in the world, your interactions, what you choose to eat, say and think. It´s how you apply yourself, what you choose to adopt and your intentions. It starts with ourselves at the centre of everything.

As our lives fill up with other distractions we seem to have lost the skill to sit with ourselves and allow stillness. This can make the biggest difference to our performance. It allows time for processing and contemplation, a place to file parts of life away, to breathe, connect and take control of our worlds. Just five minutes.

So conduct this how you will. Perhaps it´s curling on the sofa, or taking padmasana on the floor, you might like to listen  to inspiring music, or you might prefer silence, a mandala might aid your focus, or maybe you like to close your eyes…in the words of Woody Allen, whatever works! Create a comfortable space for yourself, set an alarm for five minutes and sit! Try it once, then see how you get on for 7 days as an experiment.

Look forward to hearing about your adventures!

love and light,

dionne