Many yogic texts, including the Yoga Sutras, say that a consistent practice is the best practice. But is there ever a time when it’s too much? Part of self-care is understanding when you need a yoga break. This is even more important after experiencing trauma. I’ll break down the signs to watch out for, and how you can create balance in your yoga practice so you return to your mat with a new found love of your practice.
6 Signs You Need A Yoga Break
1. You Stopped Loving Your Practice
You might think, “Wait, doesn’t that mean I should keep trying? Isn’t that what yoga asks us – self-discipline?” While it’s true that the yogic philosophy principle tapas (self-discipline) asks us to do what is difficult for us, it also asks us to study ourselves (svadyahaha), and tapas doesn’t just mean physical discipline.
Tapas can also mean doing what’s difficult for you mentally. If your go-to response is to keep pushing, ignore signs of burnout, and continue to “hustle”, then your tapas would actually be to take a break.
Losing the love of your practice might be the telltale sign you’ve been pushing too hard, expecting too much, and judging your practice. You might need to take a moment and reflect: why am I practicing? Why did I fall in love with yoga and what changed?
A temporary yoga break in your practice might be exactly what reconnects you with your love of the mat.
2. You’re Constantly Sore and Exhausted
Burnout is a sign of pushing too hard for too long. After trauma, we may feel like we need to push ourselves beyond our limits. This might be a way of avoiding our feelings. But before you toss your mat in the closet, you might ask why you’re only doing physically demanding yoga classes. There are many other styles of yoga that are slow and gentle.
There is nothing wrong if power vinyasa classes make you feel the best. But when your health suffers, you may need to ask why you keep practicing. Yoga asks us to practice non-violence – including how we treat our body.
It’s okay if slow yoga isn’t your favorite, but I welcome you to take a few days away from physically demanding classes and explore how you feel.
3. Your Focus On Yoga Is Impacting Your Life Negatively
The yogic principle called nonattachment (aparigraha) asks us to do everything in moderation without too much attachment (even our yoga practice). Sometimes, we become so fixated on reaching enlightenment and that feel-good feeling we lose sight of the valuable lessons yoga can teach us.
It’s okay to love your practice, but here are some signs you might be too involved:
- You’re disappointed if you don’t have that “feel-good” feeling after class.
- You spend all day craving your practice to the point of distraction.
- You place all your happiness in the hopes of a good practice
- You’re isolating from friends and turn down previously enjoyed hobbies to focus on your practice
You soon might reach the point of burnout and resent your practice. If you rely solely on your yoga practice, what will happen if you’re in a situation when you can’t make it to your mat?
It may be best to take a yoga break, create a plan to ease back in, and retry with a little more balance. I also welcome you to explore additional support options to create a well rounded care plan.
4. You Notice The Same Injuries/Discomforts After Class
Before my yoga teacher training, I used to love headstands. I did them as often as they were offered, and even practiced outside of classes. I thought it made me an amazing yoga student. Little did I know, this was the exact pose that was causing serious neck pain. I battled with this knowledge, thinking I would never be the “advanced yogi.”
After my training, I realized I let my ego get the best of me (and my neck). The pain became so intense that I had to take a break from my practice.If a pose hurts – it’s okay to let it go. You deserve a healthy, safe, long-lasting yoga practice.
If you’re in pain, I encourage you to take a restful yoga break, perhaps reach out to your medical team, and note what poses may be the culprit.
5. You’re Not Sure Why You’re Practicing
Yoga is a spiritual, philosophic practice (more than a physical one). If you’ve lost touch about why you’ve returned to the mat, you might face:
- Feeling meh during every class
- Procrastinating instead of practicing
- Looking forward to rest days and yoga class as something just to “get over with”
While it’s true that some days you might need to ignite your discipline and practice, others it’s as if you feel worse after class. Maybe what you really needed was rest, or a mental break by doing a hobby you love.
If you’re starting a yoga class craving something else, I encourage you to to take a day to do what you really want. You might come back with a newfound purpose and love for your yoga class.
6. Your Practice Isn’t Supporting Your Healing goals
Yoga is beneficial for trauma survivors, but not an entire care plan. Here are a few signs that your practice may need to be put to the side for now.
- Your practice is releasing emotions from your trauma, but you’re overwhelmed and not sure how to support yourself through them.
- Every time (or most times) you practice, you feel worse about your healing journey.
- You have anxiety that your practice will stir up past experiences
I welcome you to explore support options here.
Overview
In today’s society, there are subtle messages that tell us to keep pushing and avoid rest. Yoga teaches us to listen to ourselves and our needs. I welcome you to practice yoga at a level that feels right for your energy levels, and you may find it’s easier to arrive at your mat.
Thank you for reading, and take care.
