I can't take credit for this genius advice, cued in class this week by my "first favorite" yoga instructor, Vanessa Van Noy, to encourage her students to find a place "between lazy and crazy" in a physical posture during our warm up. I really appreciated this funny, and totally impromptu description as I worked my physical practice to challenge and push myself out of a comfort zone in order to find that "edge" without forcing so much I crossed a line and found pain. If this suggestive phrase doesn't epitomize my current life off the mat, nothing does.
Parts of our home are in a relatively low-key state of construction, which has forced us to sort through a lot of our belongings and clear out some clutter. Again while our jobs are on the smaller side, there is still a fair amount of dirt, dust and debris infiltrating our living spaces, which when added to the already existing clutter and accumulation of simply too much "stuff," becomes rather overwhelming, even anxiety-provoking. Layer in a very busy schedule teaching, caring for a family of five and managing the antics of a six month old puppy can definitely push me to the edge of crazy on any given day. I can just as soon find the edge of lazy on other days when I look at my surroundings and feel paralyzed by the enormity of the tasks at hand, finding it easier to just leave the chaotic atmosphere of the house and as a result nothing gets done.
What it all boils down to, as so much of yoga has taught me, is finding balance. Vanessa's quippy, rhyming, off the cuff phrase has rung in my ears often in the last few days since hearing it in her class. It's really encouraged me to make a stronger effort to remain "somewhere between lazy and crazy," in order to chip away at my burdensome mountain of additional responsibilities...which will eventually lead to a more peaceful place...even if that place is just in my head!
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