Oh, the Choices!

Today it happened.   I have tried to avoid it, tried to stick to my workouts and not let the holiday stress overtake me, but today, I was weak.  After an afternoon of retail giant overload, I began to resent my to-do list, and lost sight of the meaning of Christmas.  At 8:00 tonight, while simultaneously beating myself up for all the things I didn’t do today (including eating a meal sitting down, going for my planned 3-mile run and writing my newspaper articles), my mind raced with how much more I could still do before the day was done.

Now, shouldn’t it be that 8:00 pm is the end of the day? Shouldn’t we moms relax and recharge with a quiet evening without the demands of motherhood?  Well not at this time of year!  There is SO much to do, and this looming deadline hangs over my head like a cloud, not the ray of light it’s supposed to be.  ”It’s the most wonderful time of the year?”…Ahem… today, I felt like “It’s the most stressful time of the year.”  It’s nearly impossible to sit back and enjoy the season (well, at least until everything is DONE!)

So, you can probably tell I’ve been completely neglecting my yoga practice as well. That became very apparent today.  So, tonight, rather than jumping on the computer, working on Christmas gifts (planning, ordering, creating, wrapping), or furiously straightening up the house, I admitted  I needed some me-time, and I took it.  I changed my clothes, grabbed my iPod and headed downstairs to my practice space in the basement.

Once there, I was faced with a familiar question: Now What?!  Which practice do I choose for my stressed out, exhausted frame of mind?  Meditation would be SO nice right now, but then I feel like I need a workout too.  I remember how relaxed I felt last time I practiced pranayama.  And I am in love with the new yoga podcasts by Sunrose Yoga – instructor Kelli Connor speaks my language!  Could I choose more than one?  In what order should I practice?  Oh, the choices we yogis face!  (Wasn’t I there to relieve stress, not add to it?)

While I decided on 15-minute yoga nidra relaxation practice with Elsie Escobar, I wonder if anyone can share their thoughts.  What is the best sequence when you want to include pranayama (breath control), asana (physical postures) and pratyahara (meditation, or control of the senses) for ultimate relaxation and stress relief?

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