Sand and Gravel

My classes were overflowing today, as I looked around the room during the last fifteen minutes of each class
every face was peaceful, each body relaxed, every breath slow and easy.......that is shavasana, that is rest, that is relaxation.  It was quite a sight to see,  and to know that as each came into the room earlier, there was stress, worry, anger, pain and fear.  When I see that transition, that transformation  I always wonder why more people don't do yoga........and I also wonder how many continue their practice when I am no longer their teacher.

People who experience the incredible benefits of yoga can't say enough good things about it.......BUT, life has its way of changing our path, no matter how good something is.  We get busy, there's the job, the family....and something so good for us, drops to the bottom of the pile......it's a big rock, but it gets covered by sand and gravel.  In case you don't know about the "big rock"......several years ago I took a seminar, "What Matters Most", it was about time management.  During the presentation, there was a video......the big rocks represented what mattered most to us.......there was  a cylinder in front of the spokesman, the big rocks were to his side, as he talked about our days and all the little things that took our time, (gravel and sand) he filled up the cylinder, with the little stuff and before you knew it........no space for the big rocks, the important things.....
the secret, put the big rocks in first!  Do the stuff that is important first!!!!

I know, I am guilty too, of allowing the little stuff to rob me of my time, and what matters most.....but I can tell you this......I have learned that when I practice yoga, when I do my breath work, when I experience shavasana( deep rest)  my life goes much smoother.....my health is better, my ability to focus is better, I feel better, everything seems better.  Stress robs us of joy, of energy, of our health, stress kills us.......we deserve to feel peaceful, to feel relaxed, to release stress.  Even if you can't make it to a yoga class, sit for a few minutes every morning, no tv, just sit quietly and  breathe slowly.....if your thoughts run through the brain like a train,
just observe them, and breathe......your body, your mind, your spirit will all benefit.....and you'll be putting some big rocks in the cylinder.....not just sand and gravel.