Longevity in Small Steps (plus a podcast!)

“An ounce of practice is generally worth more than a ton of theory.”
― E.F. Schumacher, Small Is Beautiful: A Study of Economics as if People Mattered

Many years ago, my teachers A.G. Mohan & Indra Mohan shared with me that we don't need to practice Yoga for hours to begin the work to quiet the mind and experience inner peace. They said it can start with a daily 15 minute practice. This statement surprised me and I began an 8-year study to see if this is indeed true.

I believe Yoga is a practice, not a belief, that is informed by many theories. Ultimately, we need to test them through personal experience to see if the premise of Yoga is true; we can alleviate suffering by integrating our breath, mind and energy peacefully into the present moment. Along the way, one may pick up abilities that transcend limited beliefs of what we are capable of. However, these can be distractions. To stay on track, we do not need hours of practice, but a daily 15 minutes of intentional time spent with oneself, a “working in”.

My recent publication of Care of the Whole Self: Yoga-Inspired Practices for Befriending the Self reflects my learnings from this 8-year study. Yes, it is true! 15 minutes a day can offer the perfect daily “work in” to compliment your “work outs!” In my book, I lay down the philosophy and science behind the 9 practices I recommend for transitional times of day.

Recently, Jacques De Broekert of Wellspring Mind Body invited me to be featured on his powerfully insightful podcast, Doc Jacques, and we shared a dialogue about my own journey with self-destructive habits, the process of shifting and the insights into the book Care of the Whole Self.  I welcome feedback and comments!