Yoga on the Go

I always travel with my yoga mat. I enjoy trying new classes in new places, or just the simplicity of rolling out my mat right where I am and enjoying my own practice. I've practiced on the beach, at a highway rest stop and in hotel rooms. Where I go my yoga goes! So of course I took my mat with me on my recent trip home to help care for my mom.

But it was a busy week where my focus was on caring for my mom and soaking up as much time with my family as possible. I had a good run one morning, a nice walk on a cool evening, but only pulled out my mat once before heading off to meet the oncologist and radiologist. I didn’t get nearly as much physical activity as my body was used to.

Add an insanely early arrival at the airport to the stress of the week, and by the time I landed in Pittsburgh for my connecting flight my body was hurting.  I was sluggish, weak and achy.  I needed to move and breathe and refocus.

Good thing I had my yoga mat! I found an empty gate, rolled it out and found child’s pose.  After getting my breath ready, I moved into my first downdog. Oh a downdog never felt so good! I always tell my students downdog is a rest pose. I felt very peaceful and calm with my butt in the air right there in the middle of the airport.

I flowed through a few chaturanga's and updogs to get the blood flowing, and then found my first hip opener. Even though I was working against a form-fitting pair of Gap jeans, my hips were grateful for the movement.

I continued to move and breathe wherever my body led me.  I probably had a whale tail for the whole airport to see, but I just didn’t care. I was moving, I was flowing and I was breathing.

Because of the jeans and vintage  t-shirt I was wearing, my poses weren’t the prettiest or the deepest. But they were purposeful and meaningful. And they were exactly what I needed. Once again, yoga healed me.

I set up the camera and snapped this picture. It’s funny because it wasn’t until I got home and looked at it that I realized the maintenance guy was behind me watching. 

I hope he wasn't just looking at the whale tail. Maybe I've inspired him to take a yoga break in his day!