If walking down the street was a yoga pose, how would we do it? Would we walk more mindfully, consciously, and with attention to how our breath informs our every step?
If sitting in a chair was a yoga pose, would we place our limbs with intention, keep our spine lifted and our gaze soft?
If having a conversation was a yoga pose, would we stay present the whole way through, listen attentively to every word, stay open and receptive?
If weathering difficult times was a yoga pose, would we root down into our reality, hug in to ourselves, and find the space we need to breathe, to survive, to endure?
If loving other people was a yoga pose, would we keep practicing it over and over, year after year, finding more expansiveness as we soften, stretch, and open?
If getting older was a yoga pose, would we observe our wrinkles without judgement, allow our hair to gray with grace, and stand tall in the body that has stood by us our entire life?
If today was a yoga pose, would we live every minute mindfully, simultaneously stand our ground while submitting to our hearts and aligning our actions with our intentions?
Alignment. Presence. Patience. Strength. Acceptance. We practice these things on our mats all the time, but all of life can be a yoga pose. We can limit the benefits of yoga to a few hours a week or we can tap into these same benefits every moment of every day for the rest of our lives.
photo: Corinne of Corinne’s Yoga Things
monique minahan 
Yes!! Because I can’t do asana practice right now because of injury I’m struggling to keep yoga in my life in all the ways you suggest. I’m realising how much my mat is the laboratory or playground that makes the ‘yoga of life’ possible – you’ve tried it all out already in the safe zone of your mat and applying it to life is really what makes it so worthwhile and valuable, for yourself and others.
Yes, this is so true. Often it takes injury or some other physical limitation to propel us into the deeper work of our yoga, which is living our fullest life.
Yoga off the mat! The ultimate in a fluid yoga practice. Love your metaphor of turning life into a yoga pose…I could try that!!
Yes, there’s so many ways to take our yoga off the mat and beyond our bodies. We’re so lucky to be able to explore all the facets of yoga!