Doing Things We Don't Regret

How to cajole ourselves into ( or back into) something...

Years ago, decades ago even, my husband and I lived for a time in Brixton. We were newly married, with two small children and were doing what most people at that stage do; which is to grapple with how to best live in this altered and constantly altering dynamic. Which maybe is just a description of living, but there are times when it can feel especially acute. We had the luxury of a small yoga studio up the road and at the time both practiced quite a lot. So each week we would take turns going to classes, one of us racing out the door before we were needed again, with the other staying behind to look after the children. It mean’t, at the very least, that we both had pockets of respite in our otherwise busy weeks.

One day, my husband couldn’t make class - for no doubt a valid yet probably also quite ordinary reason. Our excuses usually are. And then a few days later he missed another one. A week went by, and then another, and before he knew it he had simply stopped practicing. There wasn’t any particular thing that got in the way, but just enough to break the chain- which is what habit ultimately is- and for long enough for the break to become its’ own habit. There is nothing especially unique about his story. I have suffered the same thing many many times. I suppose it happens to us all. So many things that are hard fought to establish can be frustratingly easy to give up. And often without even realising for a time that that is exactly what has happened.

One day, months into his yoga hiatus, he ran into one of the yoga teachers on the street. She asked after him. Wondered why he hadn’t been coming to class. He no doubt offered up a host of reasons, all of which were undoubtedly true.

‘The thing is,’ she countered, when he had paused with his excuses, ‘you’ll never regret a practice’.

Aside from the time I clumsily dropped a block on my face and gave myself an untimely black eye, I have found her counsel to be true. It doesn’t, of course, stop my less than helpful alter ego coming up with countless excuses why not to, but if I can quiet the voice just long enough to begin - rolling the mat out and stepping on to it is all it takes- then I am without fail the better for it. And it is testament to yoga’s almighty afterglow that someone as easily bored as I am has stayed with the practice for thirty now years. But even so there are some times that I still need to do my own convincing.

If this sounds like a rallying call to the yoga mat, then it absolutely is. Or to any practice that you know, not even deep down, that you will never regret. But it is also an invitation to use the question ‘Will I regret it?’ as a litmus test of sorts; a potent encouragement to start or resurrect a lapsed habit, to do a little more of what we need and, perhaps also, a little less of what we don’t.

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YOGA CLASSES resume tomorrow for a full summer term.

Every Tuesday, 9-10am IN PERSON via Zoom with a recording sent that lasts a week to everyone who signs up, in case the timing doesnt work or you want to prcatice more than once in the week.

We are spiralling towards high summer via the chakra system- so it will be a beuatolful series if you can do it all- but each session will work perfeclty as a standalone if you cant quite yet get back into a complete rhythm.

Book here for a single class or the series. ( Reminder that there is a series pass which will be available for the first few weeks and which discounts the classes. Once you buy the series pack, you need to then use it to book each individual session).

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IN PERSON CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

A SOULFUL SUNDAY POP UP YOGA AMONGST the FLOWERS

A date is being finalised ( weather dependent) for an imminent pop up Sunday yoga session amongst the beautiful flower beds of the Chippy Flower Farm. If any locals are up for an in- person yoga session then will you email me to let me know and I will get it firmed up. I have been practicing outside a lot recently and it is dreamy.

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