This post is all about patience, and we’re going to practice on the mat with a slow hip opening flow that’s full of delicious hip stretches – YUM!

So, patience…it’s an important topic that I think needs more attention these days.

We live in an age of instant gratification. You can have nearly anything you want delivered right to your door within a day, which is awesome, but it’s become so prevalent that we’re now impatient when things take any longer than that.

As a society, we’re constantly working on getting places faster, getting things into our hands faster, achieving faster. And the faster you do things, the “better.”

When did faster become better?

Even our yoga has become faster. Now don’t get me wrong, I love a fast-paced, sweaty, power vinyasa flow. One breath per movement is my jammmm.

Those faster flows are what brought me to the practice and they make me feel damn good, so they’ll have a special place in my heart for as long as my body is up for them.

BUT, the more I practice, the more I am able to see that those faster flows are not where real progress and change happen for me and my yoga practice.

The thing is, growth doesn’t happen in our comfort zones – those places that feel really good. Growth happens when we’re uncomfortable. For most of us, slowing down is uncomfortable. Waiting is uncomfortable.

Accepting things as they are in the moment, rather than trying to make them how we’d like them to be. This is patience. And this is what deep hip stretches do for me (and maybe for you too).

Related: Bedtime Yoga Practice + Yoga Tools for Sleep

Hip Stretches for Patience

As Shakira wisely said, the hips don’t lie, my friends. They will not be rushed or forced. They are going to take their damn time to open, as is their right.

Those deep, delicious hip stretches are only accessible with time. So we have to be patient. We have no choice, unless we want to push and injure ourselves. I don’t want that for me and I don’t want it for you, so let’s cultivate some patience, shall we?

And of course, the goal is ultimately to have this patience seep of the mat and into our lives. Because we don’t practice for the next time we come to the mat. We practice for the next time we need these skills in life.

The world needs more patience. So I invite you to start on your mat, with your hips, and then take it out into your life.

I’ll meet you on the mat ❤️

PS. If you dig the pants I’m wearing in this video, head on over to Yoga Democracy and check them out!  I’m a YD ambassador because I LOVE their products. Not only are their pants super cute, but they make their clothes out of recycled water bottles, and that is yoga gear that I can get behind!
If you want to grab yourself some threads, use the code RoamingYogi20 to get 20% off!

Calling all yoga teachers!

Do you want to elevate your teaching skills in areas like sequencing, theming, and cueing so that you can banish imposter syndrome?

Do you want support in growing a soul-aligned yoga business so you can truly thrive as a yoga teacher? 

Join our amazing community of yoga teachers – a space that’s NOT on social media, where you can share ideas, gain inspiration, and have support on your teaching journey!

Click here to join us inside The Thriving Yogi Kula!

• Author
• Recent Posts

nperez

I am a yoga teacher who focuses on bridging the gap between what happens on the mat and life off the mat. Yoga is life – it is meant to be lived!

Latest posts by nperez (see all)

• Yoga for Cold Winter Days - January 17, 2020
• Four Ways to Increase Energy + Vitality - August 24, 2019
• What’s the Deal with Hip Openers? - July 26, 2019