Stepping Back into January Responsibilities (Yuck!)

Sthira and Sukha

Snow during the holidays is magical. Snow in January is cold and grumpy.  Twinkling lights make us smile in December, but now remind us of yet another thing on our to-do list.  Everything loses its shine in January.  Add to this the list of things that we put off in December (appointments needing scheduled, closets needing their seasonal reset…) and January down-right stinks.   

The joy is gone and we miss it.  

But what if we step into January by stepping deeper into the meaning of joy?  The quick December definition of joy is a feeling of liveliness and pleasure. Almost a reward for all our hard work during the holiday season.  But yoga pushes us to think beyond pleasure and rewards.  In yoga philosophy, joy (sukha) goes hand-in-hand with stability (sthira).  In other words, yoga’s idea of joy is more like a feeling of contentment, ease and satisfaction. And this comes not from fun events, but from stable and sustained effort.  Yoga’s idea of joy is slow and steady.  It is simplicity.  It is washing the dishes and sweeping the floor.  It is January!

So let’s step into January by welcoming our routines and responsibilities.  Although not very glamorous, our simple and stable efforts bring with it a deeper and more complex idea of joy.  So here’s to a joyful January!

Until next time,

Laura 

Want more? Being Present: how it feels and how to find it — Yoga Trail Talks