Ashtangi R&R: What To Do During Rest and Recovery
This will be me tomorrow morning.
So, my toe hurts. The doctor took out the split nail, and it left a nasty, painful mess in its wake, and I can’t practice for a few days.
We’ve all been there. You become keenly aware of just how attached you are to the practice—just how much you rely on it to keep your mind clear and calm, not to mention balancing out any chocolate you may consume.
I’m no stranger to this. When I had my shoulder surgery, I had to stop practicing for eight months. I’ve torn my hamstring, broken my wrist (surfing—non-yoga related), etc. All required a long-term rest and recovery plan, and a lot of attention aimed at healing. But, this is a toe we’re talking about. It’s some downtime. Just long enough to get into trouble.
So, what to do with the mind in the meantime?
During previous respites, I wrote a lot of poetry, worked on my pranayama skills, read the Upanishads. When I broke my wrist, I started a novel. But with just a few days off? Mostly, I mentally fidget and develop attitude problems. So, to try and avoid that, here are a few things I’ll be doing while I wait for ToeGate 2012 to blow over:
- Sleeping in. While I’m sleeping in, I’ll be delivering a silent “nanny-nanny-boo-boo” to the rest of you. And while I’m at it:
- Staying up later. Finally! I can finish a whole chapter of my book!
- Snacking after dinner. Never before did trail mix taste so sweet.
- Drinking less water. Thank you, normal levels of hydration. And, while we’re at it:
- Conserving resources. Fewer showers, and less gas driving to the shala! Relatedly:
- Doing less laundry. Resting=Fewer pairs of yoga pants in the wash.
- Did I mention sleeping in?
Posted by Bobbie
