How many times lately have you seen someone in a car fiddling with the radio, putting in a CD, eating a sandwich or sneakily checking a text message? Perhaps you’ve done one of those things. Small everyday things, in fact so insignificant that you hardly think about what you are doing…..and therein lies the problem. You aren’t thinking and are not aware of what the real game is……that you’re in charge of a heavy piece of metal hurtling along a road at 60 kilometres an hour or perhaps much much more if you are on a motorway.
As I write this, I know I am guilty. Perhaps you are too! Guilty of not having full awareness on the roads. This week’s news brings us a number of needless fatalities on the NSW roads. And this unfortunately isn’t a new story. You’ve heard it before. Speeding is often blamed (and yes that may be part of it) but I’m wondering if what is missed from the equation is Awareness.
So what’s this got to do with yoga? A great deal actually. I’m not talking about Trikonasana. I’m talking about being Aware. A practice that makes yoga different from stretches at the gym. A practice that you can take off your mat and use to live your everyday life. It’s mind and body together (oh, and some breathing too!)
Here’s a thought: next time you find yourself not fully knowing quite how you got from A to B, bring yoga into the car and come back to your breath, open your awareness to the road, and all that is around you. Front, back and sides. You know at some level that you can’t do two things at once and do them both well……….so bring your awareness to your driving……………your life and others depend on it.