admin Last week, a lady in a red jeep pulled into the oncoming lane of a parking lot to jockey a better position to pull out. I was also left turning, though that had escaped her.
I was naturally enraged by my Italian blood (I put a lot of blame on this blood). Instead, I decided to let go and let it go. I had to take a long, slow breath, literally.
In many situations, we need to take a step back and consider what’s important at any given time. The only thing that matters is that I reach my destination. I must put myself in yoga teacher mode. I need to be more flexible and send out kindness.
At that moment, I had to drive with the same level of presence as I teach and practice yoga, no matter how imperfectly. It is a conscious decision to live and drive like a yoga instructor. Here are a few thoughts:
Practice Mindfulness
Is it really important to get into the next lane? Is it important to get home four minutes sooner?
Focus on the breath or focus on someone important in your life. Focus on your breathing or someone or something important to you.
Take Some Self-Control
It is not only about you. Yoga is not about forcing your body into extreme contortions but about practicing and controlling it to give you more freedom.
As you drive, try to maintain a positive flow of thoughts.
No Electronics
It’s important to be mindful while driving or when you are interacting with people. This is a no-brainer, and it’s directly related to mindfulness. We can’t be aware of two things at once.
Sorry, guys. Research shows that multitasking is not as easy as you think.
Respect others
This time, it’s for real. Do you need to practice? Allow someone to go first in the parking lot.
Hold the door open for someone. Say hello or make eye contact with a stranger.
Be Patient
It can be helpful to go back to your breath. I sometimes try to create stories about people and their backgrounds. Maybe they’re being rude on the road because they just had a fight or are rushing to the hospital.
Need something to distract you from your worries? Audiobooks are great for commuters.
Every day, I am reminded that all yoga teachers (especially this one) are first and foremost students. Namaste, red Jeep lady.
