Creating space - on and off the mat

Dancer’s pose - Natarajasana.

This January, yoga classes at the Mindful Lab have been dedicated to creating space in our bodies and minds. To name a few examples of the poses we focused on in the past weeks: Sphinx (Salamba Bhujangasana in Sanskrit), Camel (Ustrasana) or Dancer’s pose (Natarajasana, see picture above). These are all yoga poses or asanas that include a backbend - either more gentle as in Sphinx pose or more intense as in Dancer’s pose.

Backbends have an energising effect and are great to balance the posture we tend to hold during the day: hunched over a computer for long periods at a time or gazing down at the phone. Lockdowns and home office regulations have certainly not improved these habits. If practiced correctly, backbends increase range of motion in the areas of our body that we normally lack flexibility in (like the upper back), while stabilising areas that are already more bendy by nature (like the lower back). Most importantly, these poses expand and stretch the muscles around the chest, creating more space for the heart and lungs.

But yoga is more than a physical practice. Ideally, the lessons learned on the mat make their way into our everyday life. Off the mat, creating space translates to letting go - of things, thoughts or even people that no longer serve you - so as to make room for new experiences and encounters.

It is as simple as that: you have 24 hours in a day and a certain amount of energy. If you want to add more to dos to your list, you need to remove something else from the equation. A great example are New Year’s resolutions: in the beginning of a new year, we are usually full of motivation to finally go to the gym regularly, eat healthier, and so on - just to give up on these resolutions a few weeks later. Why this happens is a topic that has been covered by numerous self-help books, glossy magazines and extensive research. Of many potential reasons that are being discussed, a simple and often overlooked one is that we rarely make space in our lives for the desired changes.

According to tidying guru Marie Kondo, getting rid of things that do not spark joy can be incredibly freeing. If you have ever done a spring clean, you know what she is talking about. If you possess less stuff, you have more time and mental resources for the things that are important to you. I believe that the same principle can be applied to other areas in life. How about “decluttering” your busy calendar from appointments that do not spark joy and instead schedule in more meaningful time? If completely eliminating certain appointments is not possible, maybe you can shorten them by setting clear time boundaries. Make it a habit to block time just for yourself- for example, to do your self care routine.

What is one thing you can do to create more space in your life? Choose a simple action and make it your yoga practice for today!