Welcome to this new message forum exploring the full journey of yoga, both on and off the mat. What we mean by "off the mat" is our experience of utilizing and practicing the yogic principles and lessons in the real world.

We encourage you to share your stories of living your yoga out in the world, and to also submit any "homework assignments," practices to help and guide others to take their yoga off their mats.

I have never heard of practicing yoga off the mat but then I realized that you meant applying what we take from yoga in the real world. Interesting idea, I like it!

I am taking Yoga off the mat by using it as the topic of my research paper for my most recent college class... I am interested in any insights into yoga, interesting stories, reasons why you got into yoga or personal experiences with yoga. I would appreciate any responses that you can give.

Have a wonderful day!

Nicole

I try to apply yoga principles off the mat as often as possible: its perhaps why I started yoga in the first place. I really needed to slow down in life, learn not to stress about non-important things, gain better clarity and inner peace, and work through physical challenges. Yoga has enriched every aspect of my life off the mat! I'm a happier, more at peace, and sane person today because of it.

Namaste

This reply also addresses Nicole's call for stories. I just wrote a book about living yoga off the mat--Secrets of An Accidental Yogi: Yoga Wisdom for Better Health, Less Stress and Great Sex-- and wanted to share the cliff notes version of my story.

I got into yoga after hurting my hip running overseas. I was living in the aftermath of a war (I worked for the UN) and running was my physical and mental sanity. Long story short, I got stuck in a cycle of healing and re-injuring my hip for several years until an enlightened dr. told me to try yoga as a form of physical therapy. I was totally ignorant about it but was desperate to run again.

My journey into yoga coincided with my return to the US. I was afraid to walk on grass because I thought I might accidentally step on a landmine. I had no problem confronting men with guns during the war, but woke up one night in my home in Washington, DC griped by fear. The yoga practice I began as therapy for my bum hip became a guide to how to live my life true to myself. I don't mean so much that I strictly follow traditional yogic ways of doing things--I eat fish and drink alcohol, which some would consider a major violation. But I've learned on my mat that I can only be me, regardless of whether that meets with anyone else's approval.

It feels very cool to be in this space, even if it's a little scary at times. Nowadays I teach yoga and am so glad that I kept hurting my hip. If not, I would probably have no idea what I would've been missing!

Hi there Nicole,

I have started hatha yoga recently to counter the effects of a stressful and full-on job working long shifts. I needed to create some 'me time' in my days to relax, fit in some exercise and tone up. This was the initial reason and I started out with a hatha yoga DVD at home and then decided to try a local yoga class.

However, since starting yoga I have found that not only has it given me a greater inner calm and help me relax, it also helps me sleep better and I seem to have more energy (without any change in diet or other factors). The toning effects are starting to show and I feel more 'flexible' and fitter.

I am only a yoga beginner but it is already bringing a focus into my life and giving me a different (more serene) perspective on the things I find stressful in my life. I have been very pleased with the results so far.

Post edited by: yogitim, at: 2012/04/09 06:16