Going Through The Motions

We got a puppy for Christmas! Daisy is a delightful Australian Shepherd, and we are all crazy about her. (I mean, who can resist a puppy? I never could.) She is just about the sweetest dog ever, and I have big plans to train her to have impeccable house manners... if you knew my kids, you might think that is funny.

Honestly, I will be happy if I can teach Daisy not to pee or poop in the house, and maybe a few basic commands. That's kind of as far as I got with the kids. I mean, can I really expect my dog to be better behaved than my children?

I've been feeling pretty good about our progress so far. Daisy knows "sit" and "down", and the house-training is going well. Or so I thought, until a week ago. We got up early on a cold and dank morning, and went straight outside to take care of business.  I told Daisy to "go potty", and like the good girl she is, she immediately squatted. For about a half a second. I knew there was no way she had gone to the bathroom, so I said "go potty" again, and again, she squatted for a brief moment, and looked to me for a treat. Was she kidding me?

I couldn't believe my sweet little puppy had tried to fake me out so she could get a puppy biscuit. Daisy was literally going through the motions and expecting a reward.  I was quite tickled by her cleverness, but it got me thinking about just how fruitless "going through the motions" can be for us humans. And since this blog is about dogs and yoga, I thought about - wait for it - how just going through the motions can negatively affect your yoga practice.

I like a good challenge. I like to push myself, especially physically, and though I turned to yoga looking for a gentle, mindful practice to help with my neck pain, I can't help but aspire to the more challenging asanas like Pincha Mayurasana (feathered peacock pose) and Hanumanasana (monkey pose). I want to master the hard stuff.

But Daisy's little stunt reminded me that I haven't even mastered the basics.

I have a confession to make. I can't do Uttanasana - a forward bend. Not a pretty one, not a real one. My hamstrings are so tight, it was a personal triumph when I could actually bend over and touch my toes. But I cannot fold my body in half. And so I go through the motions. Since Uttanasana is most often part of a sun-salutation sequence, it's easy to hide the fact that I'm struggling with it. I just go with the flow, thankful when the class moves on to a pose that is easier for me.

So I've decided to re-focus my efforts on building a strong foundation for my yoga practice. Instead of spending extra time at home to work on showy handstands and arm stands, I'm going to start from scratch with the basics, like Tadasana (mountain pose) and Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward-facing dog), some yoga building blocks if you will. Because even the seemingly easiest yoga poses can build strength and improve balance and flexibility. What poses do you struggle with?

Namaste!

Welcome to down-dog amy! This is my very first post, on my very first blog, and I appreciate you for coming to check it out.

Visit this blog frequently to read and share information for coping with arthritis and chronic pain through yoga practice. I'll also share puppy training tips, and information on how pet ownership can help you live a fuller, healthier life.

I am a 40-year-old mother of three very - um, how do I put this nicely? - "spirited" children! We have a lively household, and at times things veer into downright chaos! My greatest struggle in keeping up with my active family is that I suffer from severe arthritis in my neck, knee and hands. It's frustrating when your body won't let you do the things you want and need to do! Along with various other coping skills, I've found that yoga helps me deal with the pain, stay centered, and somewhat calm.

Like a lot of folks, I took some time at the beginning of the new year to think about my goals, reflecting on things in my life that I'd like to change, things I'd like to try, and how to best take advantage of all of the opportunities available to me. You know, the dreaded New Year's resolutions -  Get fit, learn a new hobby, etc., etc. Unfortunately, this little exercise, instead of inspiring expectant optimism, caused my thoughts to turn dark as I began to think about all of the things that I can't do, and I indulged in a mini pity-party: a lot of my friends are participating in Marathon Makeover or Couch to 5k - well poor, poor me, I can't run. Maybe I could finally learn to play guitar and be a mommy rock-star? Oh, wait, my fingers hurt too bad. And so on, and so on. I had a excuse for everything, and pretty much decided that I would spend this next year wallowing in self-pity.

Good thing that's not an option!

So here's the new plan: recommit to a regular yoga practice, make time each day to update my blog, house-train our new puppy, and take care of myself when I don't feel good - without feeling guilty!
What are your new year's resolutions?