Nourish the Soul

​In 2016, I recommitted to making my meditation practice a priority.  Five minutes every day.  I wasn’t perfect and I can recall weeks that went by that I didn’t sit and breathe.  Like bringing awareness to your breath in a yoga pose, I would always return to my meditation practice.
 
I began to notice patterns on days I purposely sat quietly.  I was more focused.  I felt refreshed.  I felt compassionate and loving.  It was on these days I felt I thrived as a parent rather than survived another day.  Even on days I didn’t make time for a practice, some residual love and clarity seeped in begging for me to return to the mat.
 
As I reflected on last year, I saw meditation as one goal that needed more time to naturally become part of my everyday routine.  I refined my current plan to move mediation to the #1 spot.
 
This year I’m waking earlier to fit in all the things that nourish my soul.  It’s a quiet time where I can sit in the moonlight with no distractions.  Movement feels best before I sit or lie in meditation.  I practice asana (poses) first to heat and open the body then I gently move through one breathing exercise.  This sets me up for the perfect meditation.
 
Though we know not all mornings are like this.  Kids walk early. Sometimes I'm tired and sleepy.  Here’s where the real yoga begins.  Can I maintain my even breath without moving first?  Could an asana practice (poses only) be enough of a movement meditation today?  Can I be flexible enough to make meditation a part of my everyday life?
 
i knew you
before
i met you.
i’ve known you my whole life.
~Nayyirah Waheed, Salt
 
This is why I keep coming back to meditation.  Each time I pause I get a glimpse of a deeper self.  Each time I breathe, I feed my soul.  Each time I’m quiet even if only for a minute, I reconnect with the person I’ve known my whole life.