The Way of the Mindful Warrior
The Wisdom Warrior training I took last month targeted seasoned yoga students, 50 years and wiser, who want to stay strong and safe in their yoga practice. I finished the four days feeling very empowered and recognized the traits of the Wisdom Warrior and the Mindful Warrior support you not only to go deeper in your yoga, but also to go deeper in your life:
- Engaged.
Wisdom Warriors are willing to work with the challenges and imbalances in their bodies, staying fully engaged and using alignment principles. Mindful Warriors stay engaged with their family, friends, health, or work during the ups and downs, dark and light, and easy and difficult challenges of life.
- Non-judging.
Wisdom Warriors focus on what they can do in their practice, instead of judging themselves for what they cannot. The Mindful Warrior looks at experiences as interesting, instead of judging them as good, bad, or even boring.
- Responsive vs Reactive.
Wisdom Warriors slow the practice down to fit their needs while continuing to put forth the effort to understand the changes in their bodies. The Mindful Warrior knows the power of a pause to create space for the response that is best needed in a situation instead of giving a knee-jerk reaction.
- Beginner’s Mind.
Wisdom Warriors are receptive to instruction and direction, even though they are skilled practitioners. Mindful Warriors approach life with a beginner’s mind, an attitude of openness, curiosity, without the preconception of, “I know that.”
- Patience.
Wisdom Warriors have the maturity to go slower and deeper in their poses. The Mindful Warrior practices patience by slowing down and acknowledging that everything takes longer and means more than you think.
Whether you practice yoga and are 50 years and wiser or not, you can use the way of the Mindful Warrior in your daily life. Pick one and focus on it for the next 30 days, and if you are looking for structure and support to practice mindfulness daily, look at my new program offering, Your Mindful Year which utilizes 30 Days to Grace as an entry point or contact me directly to find out how I can help you live your most mindful year yet!