I did not consciously plan this, yet I also acknowledge that the timing is flawless.
As I’m exploring The Power of Ritual (March Meditation HERE) this month, I just realized that I’m celebrating the anniversary of one of my own most potent practices.
You see, I have taught an online yoga class every single day since March 26, 2020.
Four years of that daily practice means I’ve completed 1,462 consecutive sessions on my mat.
(Even I am slightly impressed).
Since starting this during the onset of COVID, I have simply never stopped.
Coincidentally, last weekend––during session 1,460, aka the eve of my 4 Year Yoga Anniversary––Vlad and Malibu had their second sleepover.
While they politely ignored me for the entire class, during Savasana, the final resting pose, they both got quite interested in sharing my ritual.
Savasana, also known as Corpse Pose, serves as a fitting end not only to most yoga classes but also perfectly represents the last of James Clear’s four laws around habits:
Make it Satisfying.
While his other four maxims––Make Things Easy, Attractive and Obvious, respectively––are designed to get us started on the path of good habits, this final law exists to keep us consistent.
Atomic Habits also emphasizes that “We are more likely to repeat a behavior when the experience is satisfying,” highlighting that “The human brain evolved to prioritize immediate rewards over delayed rewards.”
Small Wins are vital in other words, particularly now that we live in increasingly “immediate-return environments.”
And honestly, what could possibly be more rewarding than ending any kind of workout with what is, more or less, a spiritualized nap?
Satisfaction regarding rituals can manifest in many forms.
For example, something as simple as Habit Tracking can be enormously powerful.
There is an innate nerdy satisfactionin good record keeping, one that keeps us motivated.
Beyond this, numerous studies have proven that those who keep a daily food log often lose twice as much weight as those who do not.
Another way of creating satisfaction, comes from avoiding dissatisfaction.
One particularly powerful way of practicing that is through Accountability Partners.
Having coached many people with their projects (see the P.S. below about my new program launch), I know firsthand how powerful this can be on the path toward success.
Indeed, nearly all my clients report at some time that they often
complete their own entirely self-assigned tasks directly before our session.
Unlike any parent, teacher, or employer it’s not like I have any real power over the people I work with.
The Ritual Makes It Happen, in other words.
Their commitment to being accountable is strong enough to guarantee they’ll move through any resistance rather than face the unpleasant dissatisfaction of reporting a “failure.”
(Even to someone as nice as me or Vlad).
Returning to the rewards and satisfaction of Savasana, I want to emphasize that I genuinely believe in the importance of its benefits.
Indeed, according to The Yoga Journal, it’s the most important pose.
One article HERE offers many insightful quotes about Savasana’s value to body, mind, and spirit.
The parasympathetic nervous system calms, the mind becomes free of chatter, and the spirit is reminded of one’s mortality.
However, my favorite quote may be this one from Eoin Finn:
“Missing Savasana is like taking the time to mix a cake batter but not stick it in the oven to bake.
This small chunk of time completely changes the mental and physical benefits of the practice. This is when we actually have energy restored instead of energy being drained.”
As a fan of all things cake-related (see last week’s newsletter, for example), this metaphor truly hits home.
On the other hand…
As with all things, there are those who find Savasana the most challenging of all poses.
As I wrote in my novel Downward Dog:
“Forget about getting your feet behind your head. Just try lying still for ten minutes. With nothing left to do, you’re finally forced to come face to face with yourself.”
Indeed, I know several well-regarded yoga teachers who freely admit that lying still for ten minutes is more challenging than even the most physically demanding poses.
Perhaps because, for many of us, the hardest rituals always involve letting go.
Speaking of which…
Here’s what the great e.e. cummings has to say about the topic:
“let it go — the
smashed word broken
open vow or
the oath cracked length
wise — let it go it
was sworn to
go
let them go — the
truthful liars and
the false fair friends
and the boths andneithers — you must let them go they
were born
to go
let all go — the
big small middling
tall bigger really
the biggest and all
things — let all go
dear
so comes love”
This week, I went down a rabbit hole over New Yorker genius Susan Orlean.
I haven’t seen the new adaptation of Orleon’s work Little Wing yet, but I found myself doing a deep dive of research into her writing nonetheless.
I had a moment of deep connection with her brassy Twitter comment to an old Suze Orman video from CNBC entitled “If you waste money on coffee it’s like peeing $1 million down the drain.”
Apart from the incredibly condescending tone, Suze has completely missed the point.
Orman’s math may be sound, but her spiritual calculus is way, way off.
Here’s why this resonates particularly for me now:
Most mornings these days, Vlad and Malibu (and Bobby, Malibu’s Dad) when we leave the baseball field, stop by the site of Vlad’s birthday party, our favorite hipster coffee shop.
We don’t just order what’s actually called a “Cha Cha Creation” (sometimes hot, more often iced) each morning because Cha Cha’s Vlad and my BFF.
(If you’re wondering about the drink, it’s blue algae, espresso, condensed coconut, oat milk, and cinnamon.)
It’s delicious and slightly decadent, both in flavor and, alas in price, but…
Here’s the Great Truth:
The ritual around the coffee–-and it is an immensely satisfying one––is only 20% about the coffee.
First, there’s the post baseball field cooldown walk with Vlad and Malibu, where Bobby and I chat about the day ahead.
Second, there are the moments at the shop where we greet our friendly barista and often the owner.
(It turns out he lives in our building, something we found out long after he volunteered to host Vlad’s birthday party for us without charging.)
Third, each day while managing to charm both regulars and strangers as they imbibe their lattes, our dogs also get treats.
Thus, the beverage––again, delicious as it is––is frankly incidental.
What I’m paying for is a full 30-minute experience that, like Savasana, somehow manages to be both deeply relaxing and invigorating.
The value of such daily rituals, whether it’s showing up on the mat and finishing with Savasana or enjoying my Cha Cha Creation with Vlad and Malibu, far exceeds their price tags.
Strengthened and reinforced by the Law of Satisfaction, these habits enrich my life in ways that cannot be calculated on any spreadsheet.
Unlike decades worth of theoretical compounded interest from a latte-deprived lifestyle, I’m delighted that I can fully enjoy the satisfaction of this ritual in the present, the only moment we’re ever truly guaranteed.
Namaste for Now,
