yoga in the morning and the night

It is freezing cold where I live at this time of year. Still, I try to do some yoga in the morning and in the evening. It is such a refreshing way to stretch my body, either to prepare it for a new day or to prepare it for sleep.

My purpose of this new routine is to be able to feel more close to my body and my surroundings during the day, and yoga puts me in this position. As I am still a newbie, it's hard to stay on this track all day and I tend to disappear into my mind and imagination, and time is just passing really fast, without me being able to take in what happens.

I read an interesting discussion yesterday about how one can never be anything else than present and that it is no point in ever trying to work on it. The argument went like this: someone asked how to when walking, walk and when eating, eat and the answers that came up were many, but the ones I noticed said that you could never do anything else but walk when walking so that you will always be present.

I would say that I disagree about this. I know how I can just escape into places in my mind without being aware of what I am actually doing, feeling or thinking. It's like I am on autopilot following my habits, some good and some not so healthy. Everytime I am able to shut off this autopilot and actually be more present and aware, I discover things that I could not have been discovering earlier.

Also, as I walk through the city streets, on my way to work, with a sunrise in the horizon, I can honestly admit: in the first 25 years of my life I never really knew how to appreciate it, if I even knew it was an option. I took it all for granted and I couldn't see the beauty in life.

Therefore, I think that one can work on one's presence. Also, I am using a daily yoga routine to help me on my way. It will take time and yoga will not be the only solution. But I love that it is all in progress.

M.