Refocused on Yoga and Hopefully Motivated for Future Inner Peace

A pain in my hip reminded me of the horribly destructive cycle I have in my life when I get healthy and feeling too good.

So the other day I was walking, and I noticed my hip was totally out of alignment. Within a few hours my back hurt, and I couldn't fall asleep. Everyone knows the saying, "Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it," and this pain issue is a constant cycle for me. It's very obvious, and still I kept ignoring it.

It goes like this: I get really into yoga and exercise because it is good for my body and makes me feel great. Then I get busy and stop doing it all because my body feels fine. Then something goes wrong in my body, and I do not notice for weeks until it all catches up to me with a headache so bad that I can barely move.

I go to the chiropractor and get one adjustment to start the mending process (and get my back freakin' bruised because he sucks at his job.) And then since the whole thing was this great wake up call, I get back into yoga, and the cycle starts all over again.

Well, I was at a Women's Expo a few weeks, and I talked to a holistic chiropractor. I told him my cycle, and how I need a more enlightened doctor for my office visit whenever this happens. He said to me, "Well, I'd rather treat your lifestyle instead of putting and Bandaid on it every few weeks." Ouch, he's right. A bruise to my ego.

I really do consider myself to me enlightened and holistic, but I guess that is only when it is convenient. So this time I was much better. I felt the pain in my hip and went to work on it right away. I did a yoga practice before bed, went for a walk the next morning and woke up early on a Saturday morning to attend my favorite mind bending yoga class at the Gold's Gym on 800 North in Orem, Utah. (It's so good that is transcends crappy gym yoga which is hard to do. )

I thought about the whole cycle a lot today because I am sore as heck from having to jump back into a yoga routine so quickly, but it is good for me. What was I thinking just saying, "That was nice, but I am fine now, again." Everything I know about yoga and taking care of your body says that it involves constant persistence and attention. I guess motivation is hard sometimes... for everything in life. School, work, motherhood, nutrition, correspondence, service to others and especially personal bans on horribly inappropriate TV shows that you love so much (like Grey's Anatomy.) It all takes a special and constant motivation that seems to fall in the crack of the couch when I'm busy watching an episode of Friends after a hard day of supporting my family. I bet that last sentence wouldn't sound so bitter if I hadn't taken the last month off from my routine of grounding myself in inner peace and love. Oops.

Afterthought: Syl Carson is a yogi in Provo who is incredibly enlightened and well trained. If I had $130 I would have headed straight for one of her Thai Yoga Messages (that comes complete with an amazing pep talk) when I noticed the pain in my hip. Syl is a huge source of inspiration in my life, and somedays just knowing she exists is enough to keep me focused and filled with peace. This is much like how I feel about my friend Lizza, who I rarely talk to but think about constantly for the life force that she is.

Syl Carson, White Mountain Yoga