Ask a Yogi: Maintaining Balance in Everyday Life

You’ve practiced with them on YogaGlo. You’ve followed them on Facebook. You might even take their classes in person once in awhile if they travel to or live in your city. But how well do you know our YogaGlo teachers? Ask a Yogi is back so you can learn more about our teachers by asking questions you’ve always wanted to ask.

From favorite poses and tips for beginners to deeper questions about how their practice has changed their worldview, our teachers will collectively answer a new question each week. If you have a question you’d like to “Ask a Yogi” let us know in the comments and we’ll add your questions to the list.

How do you maintain balance in your everyday life?

• Alex van Frank: I try to make time for self care on a daily basis. For me self care can mean an extra meditation, doing something fun, a walk alone, making sure I have water, and any other acknowledgment of my needs whether they be physical, spiritual or emotional.
• Chris Chapple: Two hours of self care!  Walking in the early morning, Tribandha Pranayama (ten rounds) and a dozen asanas every morning, a bike ride, and gym or swim!
• Darren Rhodes: I don’t, which inspires me all the more to practice. Not only does practice move me toward balance it evolves what balance means for me.
• David Wagner: As a parent with 2 small kids, the balance is all about parenting vs teaching vs everything else. And there is a lot in that everything else. Relationships, self-care, fun, my own training and education, practice… I find that if I get it in my schedule it might happen. Otherwise the very important “everything else” gets eaten up by the constant needs of parenting and teaching.
• Mary Taylor: I work on maintaining balance by practicing every day. It’s like flossing your teeth or drinking water. You wouldn’t miss a day unless something really major got in the way, and so it is with our yoga practice. I find it part of the foundation of keeping the mind clear and the emotions open yet stable. It doesn’t have to be 2 hours of practice (though that’s nice), but for me it’s the linking together of opposite ends of the breath through movement and with a steady gaze that makes my body feel balanced. And from there other things begin to fall into a place of equanimity too.
• Noah Maze: Make a plan for the day the night before and get clear on the time blocks of work and play. Try to get eight hours of sleep. Drink hot water with lemon in the morning (before coffee) to get hydrated. Drink green juice and green smoothies during the day. Meditate for at least 5 minutes. Do a yoga asana practice at an opportune time. Get outside into the sun, preferably in my garden. Play with my kids. Have focused time working, set a timer if needed to minimize distractions and make progress on bigger projects.
• Steven Espinosa: I take a short nap almost everyday. I realize that’s not possible for everybody. But for me, it’s like going off-line for 15-20 minutes. I wake up feeling refreshed, clear headed and ready to go again. Especially now that I’m in my mid-50’s. I just don’t have the same amount of energy I once did. Even if I don’t fall asleep just laying down and closing my eyes takes the weight off my legs and helps rest my eyes.
• Taylor Harkness: Years ago, I thought that becoming a yoga teacher would mean my days would be less busy and more peaceful. HA! Things are about as busy as they’ve ever been. Being a yoga teacher has just made me more aware of it and I can recognize when I need to come down. I’ve been prioritizing getting outside, hiking, and staying off of mindless outlets like social media. I’ve been keeping an active journal that lists my to-do’s each day, tracks my hours of exercise and healthy meals, and even records how many pages of my books I’ve been reading. It helps a lot and holds me accountable. Plus, it feels good to see your progress.
• Tiffany Cruikshank: Meditation is my rock!

source https://blog.yogaglo.com/2017/04/ask-a-yogi-maintaining-balance-in-everyday-life/