Q:

I did not do my practice today at all as I was busy balancing my work and my free time. I did sit on my meditation cushion (Dhyana Asana) for sometime doing nothing, but I did not do anything else. I feel guilty at times as I feel I am growing old and I need to do my practice more and should have achieved much more by now.

A:

So you lived the practice! There is a difference between doing the practice and living it.

1) If you can do "nothing" seated on the meditation seat, then you actually did something. Those who do something are actually trying to do "nothing".

2) Nadi shodhan and Anulom Vilom are practices to bring balance and harmony between mind and heart, heat and cold, right and left hemispheres of brain and we have to do it by closing and opening of nasal passages deliberately or at times mentally but if you can do it in real life by balancing work and freedom you are actually not doing the practice but living it.

3) Practice of Yog(a) is not a check mark on to do list, that defies the very purpose. It is an act of awareness and moment to moment discernment. If you were aware you practiced.

4) Most of the time we do the practice bound by space (on the mat) and bound by time (30 minutes, 1 hour etc). A Yogi/ini's Sadhna is to transcend both. Let there be no attachment to doing as well as not doing. However, stay aware all the time and stay free all the time.

5) Growing "old" and staying "young" are relative concepts in Yogic world. For seekers time is eternity and it is lived in every moment. You won't loose anything by delays and gain nothing by haste.. It is all perfectly timed my dear one.

6) Let there be contentment in your success and failures, in your trials and errors and at the same time keep the burning desire to reach the goal. It is a delicate balance of Soma- contentment and Agni- your inner fire.

7) Having a desire is the most important ripple one can create. Even if one has knowledge and resources (physical, mental, financial and emotional capacity) and have no desire, they do not reach anywhere. Fuel your willingness every moment.

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