A longing for my practice

At an unexpected time

Hi Householder Yoginis and Yogis,

The other day, I was on work travel. I had to stay overnight in a hotel. Usually, I always have my set of essentials with me: my water flask, my re-usable cup and some tea bags, my eye pillow and my travel yoga mat. This time, I had forgotten all but my water flask. I kind of remembered last minute, before I left home, that I had not packed them, but then thought ‘it is just one night, it won’t matter’. I rushed out of the door. Having to go back for those things would have cost me a couple of minutes that would mean I’d have to speed walk to the train station.

I do not know why I forgot until the last minute or then discarded the idea to take these things with me. Maybe because it happens regularly that despite me having all with me, I do not use it. My pragmatism took over, not wanting to carry things with me if I was not going to use it. It was, after all, just one night.

But this time I really missed having all of those things with me. There was this great longing to be able to move into asana on the hotel room floor, to rest on the floor directly. It only occurred to me that the big towel in the bathroom might have been ideal as an alternative as I was going to sleep.

It surprised me, this deep longing. It really did. I knew that just restorative poses on the bed with all those delicious pillows available would not cut it. I learned that my commitment to this practice is so much deeper than I have sensed it for a very long time. It feels like a little bit of coming home to myself again.

Next time again then. Next time, I will remember and trust my commitment, and bring it all along again.

Until next time. With love.

Bettina