02/23/2026
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The Irony of "Rushing To Get To" My Yoga Practice
During spring and summer here on the farm in New Zealand it is crazy busy. Everyone has their own version of busy. Ours include dawn wakeups to milk sheep, shift stock to new pasture, collect eggs, water the vegetable garden and harvest produce. There’s walking the dog, laundry to do, ironing to put away, dishes to wash, bread to bake, a dish of lasagna to make for a household with a newborn, and a growing list of tasks building up in the office like steam in a pressure cooker. Lately, I have been contemplating the irony of rushing to “get to” my yoga practice. You know that breathless feeling of moving at breakneck speed in the hopes of getting to something well, . . . more important.
When this happens, which is often, I try to pause and collect myself within the moment. What could be more important than clipping the daughter plants off the strawberries or for that matter, to pick and eat some juicy berries? What could be more essential than taking the time to be with my 82-year-old yoga colleague (who I’ve known for a quarter of a century) who is visiting for the week? What could be more unifying than stopping in the late afternoon when the wind has finally died down and the sun is coming out to sit in the grass and cuddle orphan lamb Baby J, and to watch the ewes enjoying their hay? In these moments it becomes self-evident, that connecting with what is right in front of me is the practice.
When I do manage to get on my mat, could it be okay to lie down in Constructive Rest Position and do a modest practice to release tension in my neck and shoulders, or 30-minutes of Restorative Yoga to let my breathing slow and my nervous system regulate? When every other part of the day requires lifting, pushing, pulling, squatting and walking, doesn’t it make sense to just stop and be quiet on the mat? During these intensely demanding times, doing nothing feels like a revolutionary act.
If this post has found you in similar circumstances, here are a few of my top tips for finding Yoga during busy times:
• As often as is necessary, ask yourself “Why am I rushing? You may be surprised by the answer. Consider taking something off your list.
• When rushing, inquire, “What could be more important than this?” AND “How can I enjoy this moment?”
• Pause, breathe out, and feel your feet on the ground. Repeat.
• Give thanks for the immediate blessing in front of you. Clean air and water. Food. Shelter. Safety. Friendship. Bow in gratitude.
• Make what you do your yoga practice. When you are cooking, be in conversation with the food. When you are writing emails, be kind and thoughtful. When you are driving, focus on the road so you don’t hurt yourself or anyone else.
Then . . . . when you get onto your yoga mat, let it be okay to lie in Savasana, or sit quietly, or do ten minutes rather than 2 hours.
Because nobody really cares how many hours you spend on your yoga mat if you are an impatient, hurried and irritable individual for the rest of the day. Slow down. Take your time. Share with others the joy of being here, now.
