Finding the Space.

As I mentioned in the last post, maintaining a regular yoga practice on the road has been tough. When we’re in a place that has WiFi, it’s usually not conducive to rolling out the yoga mat and YouTubing a routine in the middle of a Starbucks for example.   However, Jay managed to download a couple of morning Yoga with Adriene practices so I have a few queued up on the laptop when it’s convenient.

My first yoga practice on the road was in a parking lot on the banks of the Mississippi River in LeClaire, Iowa. We had a rough night and when morning arrived and the sun greeted us through our van windows after a night of pouring rain, I felt my mat calling me from the back of the van. It was just what I needed - a little quiet, inner work on the ol’ soul so I rolled out the mat and put together my own little routine.

I managed to find a free yoga class at a library in Bozeman, Montana and was excited to be able to participate.  It was a great class with the exception of a few toddlers running around the room banging on the windows and standing on people’s mats.  I kept reminding myself that yoga isn’t really about the physical practice at all and more about maintaining some sort of a mindset where you’re not supposed to be pissed off that little kids are ruining your opportunity for some real class time but I’m just not there yet and I was in fact pissed off the whole time. At the end of the hour, the instructor mentioned that we should let go of any expectations we had for ourselves or the class and basically just be present with where we are in our lives at that moment. I thought it was a super creative way of telling those moms that their kids fucked up the class experience for the rest of us. At least that’s how I interpreted it to make myself feel better.

I tried to roll out my mat in a beautiful camp spot in Bighorn National Forest but the mosquitoes were large and persistent so that lasted all of 30 seconds.

When we were in Squamish, BC, we parked every night across the street from the town’s public library which was also next to their community garden and a lovely park. I tried to wake up early enough to get in a 20 minute practice before parents brought their kids to the playground in the park where it would have been potentially weird for me to be hanging around on my mat amidst the jungle gym.

Perhaps one of the most inspired places I've practiced was in Castle Gardens, Wyoming - a camp spot we found on BLM land which was just gorgeous. We had the little canyon all to ourselves for two days and it was kind of magical.

Castle Gardens, WY

Otherwise, I take advantage of when we're staying at friends or family's houses and get in a few practices here and there.  It would be really easy to just say screw it and not try and find the time or the space to get on the mat, but I realize how important yoga is to my wellbeing, maintaining a positive headspace and staying flexible in mind and body. I've practiced yoga on and off for years but it's only been the last few years that I accepted the fact that it's something I need on a regular basis. I don't need a fast flow class or anything super intensive but I need the time to get back into a good mental headspace and stretch my muscles. Find the space. Find the time. Find what makes you feel like a better human being - even if for only an hour.