After I shared “Top 20 Things I learned from 40 Days of Surfing,” I felt the call to keep going with another 40. What else could I do for 40 Days, I thought? There was an alchemy to that number; something that made it land and stick in a different way than multiple 21 or 30-day challenges I’ve done in the past. Forty days––yes, it really penetrates into your body, your mind, your soul, and pushes you past your comfort zone, challenging you to say, “Yes I can do this,” even in those “screw this” moments. I asked myself, What if I spent the rest of this year committed to different 40-day challenges, no matter where I was or what I was going through? Yes, this is a compass; this is just the discipline I need to break myself free from some unhealthy and potentially destructive patterns with which I’ve been battling for years.
I’ve decided to be the “40 Days Girl,” and I’ll share my experiences and hopefully inspire others along the way. And guess what––it’s already working! I received hundreds of responses from friends and strangers who either read about my 40 Day commitment to surfing, or saw me driving to the beach, unloading my board, and getting my ass out there (even when it was raining, cold, or not-too-friendly a day). People told me it inspired them to get back in the water and to stop making excuses; even if it was just for 20 or 30 minutes, they were going to surf. And while 40 Days of Yoga for a yoga teacher may not seem like that big of a deal, that re-commitment, that re-prioritizing of your practice (especially when you’re a single mom and a business owner) is no small task.
I’ve been practicing yoga for 18 years and teaching for 10. I’ve also owned my own studio (Yoga Centered Studio in Hilo, Hawaii) for 9 years and I’ve been running training sessions and retreats for 6, and yet, I’m still in awe of the transformation that is possible through a steady and consistent yoga practice over time. One of my clients––I’ll call her “Jan”––is a business owner and single mother with several children. She could barely make it through a class when she first began; her attitude was negative, and she didn’t seem to enjoy yoga at all. However, as the weeks went on, Jan’s stress lifted, her frazzled nature dissolved, and she began smiling and laughing in class. Now that’s a gift to behold! Over the last decade, “Abby” went from being close-minded, somewhat grouchy, and thinking everyone was out to get her, to becoming one of the kindest, most generous people I know. This blows my mind! Until he met yoga, “Bob” felt depressed, lethargic, unhappy, and in pain. After his commitment to the practice, Bob became energetic and happy, moving like a 25-year-old again.
When practiced with attention and intention, the magic of a yoga practice is undeniable. I could name 100 more stories just like these, but why tell you about it when you can find out for yourself. Yoga saved my life, and it continues to save my life every single day. I hope these 20 insights spark some encouragement and inspire you to get on your mat and see what’s possible.
20 INSIGHTS FROM 40 DAYS OF YOGA
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Why have a drink at the end of the day when you could just put your legs up the wall in viparita karani for 20 minutes and get all the same benefits minus the hangover?
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We’re not “doing yoga,” we’re just being present in our bodies. I know––what a wild concept!
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The longest, most committed relationship I’ve ever had is with my mat; she treats me oh-so right.
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When a pose gets you twisted, just start untangling one step at a time.
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The shapes we make in yoga give us opportunities to explore our inner terrain, our edge, our boundaries, and all the landscape in between.
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Some poses you will like and some you will not; either way, if you’re paying attention, you’re going to learn something.
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Is there anything better than a supported supta badda konasana? No; the answer is no, there is not.
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I’m not going to lie: Yoga practice is way more fun with a room full of beautiful people; beautiful spirits, beautiful intentions, beautiful presences. (And it doesn’t hurt if they’re wearing tight pants.)
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Some days you will be flexible, present, and strong, and some days you will not. Either way, show up and practice and it’s okay to be uncomfortable––no one said yoga is easy.
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Inversions will absolutely shift your perspective, so turn your world upside down and see what else is possible.
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Yoga teachers (me included) say the most inappropriate things during class if you were to take them out of context. (You might even think you were talking to a dirty old man.) Have a laugh with it and let yourself have fun!
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While you may not find it physically possible to “breathe into your hips,” or “melt your heart,” feeling a wild, expansive, opening, and deep sense of release is most definitely achievable. -
The more you practice, the more yoga becomes a requirement for your sanity, clarity and survival. At a certain point, you will discover you can’t live without yoga and you will never leave the path, even if you take some wild detours along the way.
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Yoga is for everybody, all days, all the time; it doesn’t discriminate. Your practice just might not look anything like the cover of Yoga Journal, and that’s great!
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Just because you’re capable of a pose doesn’t mean you need to practice it.
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Yoga makes you feel. Yoga makes you cry. Yoga makes space for everything you haven’t dealt with or tried to push away.
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The samskaras (patterns of holding and familiarity) run deep but can be re-routed with consistent and steady awareness and practice. -
Yoga forces us to slow down and slowing down makes space for us to feel what we may have been avoiding. It’s right there under the surface just waiting to bubble out, so don’t let it fester; let it go!
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When you force yourself into a pose, you will get hurt. Over-efforting is so depleting. End of story.
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There are no shortcuts and IT’S A PRACTICE, PEOPLE! Yoga is Life, Life is Yoga; there is no separation.
More Info: Molly Masaoka is a yogi, surfer, mom, and the owner of Yoga Centered, an award-winning yoga studio and clothing boutique on the Big Island of Hawaii. Her studio offers 35 classes per week–plus online classes or students based all around the world. She leads a 200-hour yoga teacher training program in Hawaii once a year, as well as retreats to recharge your body, mind, and spirit. When she’s not in the studio, she’s usually on the sand or in the waves. @yogacentered