Short answer: Yes it is possible for anyone to practice yoga every damn day.

Longer answer:

Yes, if your definition of yoga includes more than just the physical practice of asana, which it probably does.  You just don’t know it yet.

Longest answer:

Yes, because you totally can, in your own way.  Social media outlets are filled with images of people performing pretty yoga poses in even prettier yoga clothes with the hashtag #yogaeverydamnday, or the #foodporn photo of the vegan meal they got at the trendy juice bar next to their yoga studio.  For those of us who are lucky to be able to get onto the mat even once a week, let alone getting into a professionally photographed, one-handed handstand (since your non-handstanding hand is holding your kale salad for lunch), the inner monologue becomes, “Is that what my yoga practice is supposed to be like?  If so, then I definitely can’t be a yogi.”

If that is you, then hopefully the eight limbs of yoga can come in to make you feel better about your maybe-once-a-week practice.  Asana, AKA the physical practice of yoga poses, is just the third limb.  There are seven more for you to choose to incorporate into your life!  Those other seven limbs are:

• Outward practices (yamas)

• Inward practices (niyamas)

• Breathing techniques (pranayama)

• Detachment (pratyahara)

• Concentration or focus (dharana)

• Meditation (dhyana)

• And ecstasy or bliss (samadhi)

I’m not going to get into detail, but all of these parts of yoga make up the whole practice to help you reap the benefits of yoga, even if you’re not physically moving through a vinyasa.  Just putting conscious awareness into one of these for a portion of your day can make a big difference, and definitely means you can practice yoga every damn day.

For example…

You can practice ahimsa, or nonviolence (one of the yamas), by resisting the urge to yell at the person/car that cut you off on your way to work, because you are choosing to not create negative energy.

Or, practicing belly breathing (pranayama) to not feel as uptight during the minute or so after getting cut off by said person/car.

Taking a couple of minutes during the day to sit in meditation (dhyana) to help you detach from a frustrating meeting at work (pratyhara) and just focus on your breath (dharana).

Finding that contentment with what you are able to do during each day (samtosa, a part of the niyamas), will eventually help you to find that joy and enlightenment (samadhi), even if it’s just for a split second.

And, as a dietitian, I can tell you that the feeling of contentment feels better than any upside-down kale salad.

Accept where you are in your practice, continue to explore it as much as you can, and soon you’ll find yourself practicing a form of yoga, whether physical or not, all day, every day.  And feel free to go get that kale salad if you still want it.

Continue the discussion with me and let me know how you practice the other limbs of yoga!  Find me on Facebook, instagram, and twitter 🙂

…And if you’re looking for more of the third limb, asana, in your life, check my schedule to see where I am teaching!