Yoga Journal - How to Start with One
To write a yoga journal can be hard but also very rewarding for the yoga practice and the process of learning about yourself. Writing has never been easy for me. It has never been but over the years when I have taken yoga classes thoughts, and reflections are surfacing. Maybe the teacher says something outstanding in class, and I try to make a mental note of that but after the shower and lunch that it is "gone with the wind" with my short memory span. What I have been missing is an excellent way to save these notes. What I have been missing is a yoga journal.
These days I do a lot of home practice and when we created the personal dashboard in Yogateket, we wanted it to be as practical and easy for our community to maintain a good yoga practice with functions like, setting weekly practice goals, save favorite yoga classes or picking up the yoga challenge right where you left off, and now also you can write a yoga journal straight from the dashboard and save to your personal notes.
Writing a diary will be another tool in your “yoga toolbox,” and it can help a to get out more of your yoga practice. So here are some tips on how to get started if it doesn’t come naturally and you have a little struggle like me.
No right or wrong
First, we should know that it is no right or wrong way on how to write a yoga diary. It is yours, and your practice, your process, write whatever comes to your mind, and trust the process. Maybe it is poetry perhaps not, write what happens to come out of you.
Make it a habit
Even if it is just one thing that comes to your mind, write that down. Maybe more will arise perhaps not, but you got something down, and that is all that matters, and you got the ball rolling.
Set your intention for your yoga practice
Setting a purpose for a yoga class brings more meaning, and you get a more mindful practice. It could be that you dedicate the practice to someone or something abstract you want in your life like patience, compassion, or love. Whatever it is you set your intention for it can help you on the mat if you feel you are struggling. You can also bring this with you off the mat and throughout the day or until next practice. Writing it down will deepen this Intention.
Write down your feelings
Here we have many things to consider and might feel blissful after you completed the class but how did you feel before and during the practice, your emotions, physical and mental feeling is something we all have we need to tune in, and mindfully acknowledge these feelings. Maybe you even had a spiritual feeling after class?
What did you learn on the yoga mat today?
Did you have a breakthrough in a deep backbend class and could reach for your heels in Ustrasana or you learned the opening mantra in the Ashtanga practice. Or you learned something about yourself.
Awareness the energy levels
Most likely, this will be different from day to day and what was it before, during and after the practice?
How was your breathing?
Writing down in your yoga journal of how your breathing was during practice will help you be more aware of how you breathe. The breathing is fundamental in the yoga practice; it will help you avoid injuries. I always teach breath, form, and lastly depth in that order to keep the yoga practice safe. Did you hold the breath at some point? Was it shallow or mindful and deep?
What do you want to work on next time?
To write down what you want to work next time is a great way to keep everything going and you make a connection from completed practice to the next.
Hope some of these tips will get you going and start a yoga journal, and you will deepen your yoga living and benefits that will come.
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