Fallen out of love with yoga...

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As the title suggests, has anyone fallen out of love with yoga?

I started practicing yoga when i was 20 and practiced it regularly (pretty much daily) for 13 years but in the last9-10 months i cant bear to do it. I dont attend classes, i dont practice at home and even the thought of doing it makes me feel off.

I have a mental block about doing it - i dont know why. i just dont want to do it. Nothing happened, no injury, no bad experience in a class or anything like that.

Its just not in me anymore. I cant even roll out my mat and lie there to just see how that feels.

Has anyone else had this happen?

Wanderer78

Time for a new pass time maybe? any advice on starting yoga?

yoginindublin

Maybe more meditation than asana practice?

CBRLizzie

I'm the same, I've qualified as a teacher, been doing daily practices for years, about a year and a half ago I had a very sore back, I read that sometimes you can go too deeply into some stretches so I decided to take a break and see did it help my back, and now I just haven't been able to get back into my practice at all. Friends have tried helping, asking why I started and when I talk about it, my love for it comes back, but I just can't seem to get myself onto my mat!!! I know its wonderful, I know I'd feel a hell of a lot better if I did it, I have old injuries that yoga has kept pain free for years, but without a practice they flare up, and still I just can't seem to get my mat out. I feel like I need a good smack over the head to knock whatever has moved back into place so I can get back my desire to do my practice.

Its really weird, because I know how much I love it, I know how good it makes me feel, why can't I bring myself to do it?!

bonzo_k

Some suggestions that work for me, 1 & 2 being the best.


1) Just do 5 minutes to start with, maybe a couple of surya namaskaras

2) Just roll out your mat so you can sit on it to meditate ?

3) Try a different style of yoga that you are not accustomed to

4) Watch an inspiring video of somebody practicing

5) Read one of the many yoga blogs.

6) Read a book on yoga.

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CBRLizzie wrote: »

I'm the same, I've qualified as a teacher, been doing daily practices for years, about a year and a half ago I had a very sore back, I read that sometimes you can go too deeply into some stretches so I decided to take a break and see did it help my back, and now I just haven't been able to get back into my practice at all. Friends have tried helping, asking why I started and when I talk about it, my love for it comes back, but I just can't seem to get myself onto my mat!!! I know its wonderful, I know I'd feel a hell of a lot better if I did it, I have old injuries that yoga has kept pain free for years, but without a practice they flare up, and still I just can't seem to get my mat out. I feel like I need a good smack over the head to knock whatever has moved back into place so I can get back my desire to do my practice.

Its really weird, because I know how much I love it, I know how good it makes me feel, why can't I bring myself to do it?!

Wow - this makes me feel less weird! you seem to have the same thing going on that i do.

I know i love yoga, i know i feel great after it but something is stopping me. I just cant bear to think about doing it in any shape or form.

I wonder should i just stop worrying about it and see if it ever naturally comes back to my life. But i also think the fact that its niggling at us means something too.

zoobizoo

I find that when the weather gets better, as it is now, I kick start my day with a black coffee and 30 mins on a mat in the sunshine on the patio. Far easier than inside in a cold living room.



Do you do a similar routine every day?

CBRLizzie

Well, I found an extreme way of getting back into it. Bounced my car off both barriers on the M7 in the pissings of rain, wrote it off, walked away, thank goodness. Also didn't hit anyone else, which was an even bigger blessing. Went home, and even though I no more felt like it, did a yoga sequence and had a bath in epsom salts, I knew I wouldn't be able to move if I didn't. Have been trying to do a daily practice every day since to keep me moving - because I have to! I am loving it a bit again, but still finding it hard to make myself do the practice.

zoobizoo

If you could afford it, take a trip to India and visit Rishikesh and go to Usha's class.
https://www.iyengaryoga.in/usha_devi.htm


She's an inspiration.

purethick

CBRLizzie wrote: »

Well, I found an extreme way of getting back into it. Bounced my car off both barriers on the M7 in the pissings of rain, wrote it off, walked away, thank goodness.

Ouch - at least you weren't on 2 wheels at the time (I'm guessing CBR = CBR600 or Fireblade)

CBRLizzie wrote: »

but still finding it hard to make myself do the practice.

If it's a discipline issue then what about getting your ass to class?

I've come to realise over the years that I simply don't have the discipline to do routines at home unless there's a loaded gun pointing at me. Getting to class is what works for me (prepaying for the class helps me get there too). Someone might read this and make it sound like I dislike yoga/pilates/other but that isn't the case; I'm just exceptionnally good at finding excuses - kinda like working on a study timetable to avoid studying

CBRLizzie

purethick wrote: »

Ouch - at least you weren't on 2 wheels at the time (I'm guessing CBR = CBR600 or Fireblade)

I'm counting my lucky stars I wasn't, and a few bikes passed me after it, I nearly lost it then at the thought that I could have hit them or just caused them to crash. Incredibly lucky.

If it's a discipline issue then what about getting your ass to class?

I've come to realise over the years that I simply don't have the discipline to do routines at home unless there's a loaded gun pointing at me. Getting to class is what works for me (prepaying for the class helps me get there too). Someone might read this and make it sound like I dislike yoga/pilates/other but that isn't the case; I'm just exceptionnally good at finding excuses - kinda like working on a study timetable to avoid studying

Worth a thought. Thanks purethick I'm fairly disciplined this week,coz the only relief I'm getting for my back is movement, soft gentle movement I used to be great at my home practice when I was training to be a teacher, hopefully this week will get me back there, otherwise I might give the classes a go. There's a somatics class near me, definitely what I need right now.

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CBRLizzie wrote: »

Well, I found an extreme way of getting back into it. Bounced my car off both barriers on the M7 in the pissings of rain, wrote it off, walked away, thank goodness. Also didn't hit anyone else, which was an even bigger blessing. Went home, and even though I no more felt like it, did a yoga sequence and had a bath in epsom salts, I knew I wouldn't be able to move if I didn't. Have been trying to do a daily practice every day since to keep me moving - because I have to! I am loving it a bit again, but still finding it hard to make myself do the practice.

Wow - glad youre ok! that must have been so scary.

I actually went back to a class on sunday - i did enjoy it but found myself frustrated at how weak i have gotten.....i cant win!