Choosing my own purple dawn, or how to start anew once again, even if the new year has already started

How are you living your life? Which habits do you have? 

Are you doing what you are doing because you want to, or just because you think that you don't have other chances? That you don't have a choice?

Just because you are scared or afraid? Of what? (if this is not too personal, of course)

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.

Mark Twain 

[pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835-1910]

Tough questions, right?

Something that most people are afraid to ask themselves, if not strictly necessary. If they are not forced to. It is often easier to avoid such questions, at least in the short run.

And yet, they are indeed very important ones, for finding purpose in life and achieving what each of us is striving for. 

Yoga helps me to... Ten reasons why I practice Yoga

In my experience, Yoga is something that tends to polarize a lot.

Either you love it or you hate it. 

Either it changed your life for good or you avoid it like you would avoid your dentist if you only could.

Either you practice it on a regular basis, maybe even daily, or you just don't get what for people talk about it that much. Believe me, I have been there.

Still, now I practice Yoga on a regular basis, at least once per week at my favorite yoga studio and many times per week at home, even just for five minutes a day, and here you can find ten reasons for it.

[Cat Yoga is the ultimate type of Yoga

Image credit: Catsu The Cat]

Yoga is just a little bit like everyday life, or the importance of staying consistent with what you do

Which kind of yogi are you, in your life?
What's the most challenging life Asana you have been busy with, lately?
If you don't get what I am talking about, you are not alone.

Today I was having an interesting conversation with two colleagues of mine, who made fun of me because I made a comparison between Yoga and everyday life...

Well, let's be more specific here so you can judge for yourself.

What you do has far greater impact than what you say.

Stephen Covey [1932-2012]

A colleague of mine was telling us that he didn't like the teaching style of a certain Yoga teacher because the person was used to say "left" while meaning "right" and vice versa. So my colleague got confused and he was not able to do the postures properly.
In my opinion, most of the time this is not a deal breaker while taking a Yoga class, since it is usually possible to observe the teacher's movements during the class and to mirror them. 

[Doing mirroring with Yoga postures, anyone?

Image credits: Fitness Fan Store]

So I don't always pay attention to what the teacher says. I pay attention to what the teacher does. And then I do the same (or at least I try, since I have been a very bad yogi, so far). 

While reflecting on this matter, I said that in everyday life it is the same, after all.

Yoga in the morning & the courage of being the best version of yourself

What's the all yoga hype is all about, right?
Is this just mambo-jumbo for trendsetters that have nothing better to do with their time?!
Do those people think that they are something special?

I have to confess that this is what I was used to thinking.
Until six months ago, when I started to practice Bikram Yoga myself. Yep, I joined the dark side. Or, to put it better, the brighter side.
In the case of Bikram Yoga, I probably joined also the perspiring side.

Berlin is a very yoga-friendly city and yoga studios are everywhere. Bikram Yoga studios are, however, way more rare than other kinds of yoga studios, because not every studio has the right equipment for Bikram Yoga classes.

We are talking about a kind of Hatha Yoga that people practice in a room heated to 40°C with a humidity of 40%.

[My yoga mat is Purple, of course!]