Yoga-One thing you don’t have to give up during tough economic times

There’s no doubt, most of us are feeling the tough economic times in one way or another.  We’re cutting back on extras, and finding ways just to afford the bare essentials.

But the last thing that should go is our own standard of self-care.  Yoga really should be on the short list of things to hang onto, and here’s why.
Scraping money together for that extra gallon of gas, groceries, all of the basic necessities can be stressful. Worrying about your family’s future can be stressful. Figuring out how you are going to make it until your next paycheck can be very stressful. 

Yoga reduces stress.  And you don’t have to attend a formal class to reap the benefits of a practice.  One of the most satisfying ways to pursue yoga is in a very solitary, private way–at home.  You don’t even have to have a yoga mat.  Skip it.  Just find the right towel and use that as your mat.  Right there you’ve saved about $75 from your budget.  I’m the first one to drool at some of the hot little clothing items now on the market as yoga wear, but do you really need them to practice.  Well, no.

While the right teacher can be very inspirational, you can check out yoga DVDs, CDs and books at your local library that will get you
pretty far along in your practice.  True, it is nice to share the experience with others, but why not your family and friends?  Set up a neighborhood session and practice that way if you prefer.  

If you’re strapped for cash and stressed out to the max, meditation in combination with yoga can be a very powerful way to divert your attention from thinking about the thousands of “what-if” scenarios that can race through our minds during times like these.  And meditation doesn’t even require a towel.  It helps you center yourself and think in the present, which keeps you on an even keel, and helps you manage your anxiety.

Sure, there are tons of cool things you can purchase and try as an accessory for your yoga practice.  But what yoga is really about is purity of thought, and leading a simple, blissful life, and neither of which costs a penny. 

In fact, one of the pillars of a yoga practice and lifestyle is leading a life that is honest and centered at its very core.  So you really don’t need a lot of “stuff.”  Just bring yourself, your mind and spirit and you can get the job done for next to nothing.  If you have to, put aside the classes for a while and get back into it when you can better afford to.   

It may not be fancy, it may not be as social an activity as you like for a while, but it will serve your ultimnate purpose–to find peace within yourself.  And it’s a wonderful way to make the outside world go away for a while.

Remember, peace.