“The prayer of our souls is a petition for persistence; not for the one good deed, or single thought, but deed on deed, and thought on thought, until day calling unto day shall make a life worth living.” - W.E.B. DuBois
W.E.B. DuBois was an American sociologist, historian, author, editor, and activist who was an important black protest leader in the United States during the first half of the 20th century, and a co-founder of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People).
The fight for Social Justice continues, requiring community uprising, institutional and personal transformation. Persistent practice is required to accomplish our objectives in all of our work, from personal physical, creative, and spiritual practices to the work of social and political change. That persistence requires commitment, determination, and discipline.
Within yogic literature, verse 1:12 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra describes the discipline of the mind thus: “Cessation of the turnings of thought comes through practice and dispassion.”
In our personal practices, such as yoga and dancing, taking responsibility for our well-being and finding the right shapes and movements for our own bodies on this particular day is critical to our persistence. I recommend listening to your body’s needs and utilizing supports such as a chair, a wall, props like yoga blocks, blankets, straps, and bolsters to adapt the stances and movements. This sort of self-awareness and self-care helps us persist with our yoga practice by assisting us to find the version of a pose that works best in this moment, and learning to modify each movement according to our evolving needs. Choosing our projects, practices, and causes based on our values and Purpose or dharma also supports our persistence.
In her book, Living Your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life, Judith Hanson Lasater suggests the following practice for developing discipline:
“Make a list of things you have always wanted to do, but never seem to find the time to try, or things that you already do but have resistance to doing. You might choose meditating, writing a book, playing the piano, practicing poses or breathing techniques, reading a good book, or taking a daily walk. It could be something else. What is important is that you pick something and commit yourself to doing it for fifteen minutes a day...To support your commitment, set a timer. It is important to continue for the full fifteen minutes. It is also important to stop after fifteen minutes, so that you do not become obsessive about the activity. Some days you will want to do this exercise; other days, it may be difficult. In either case, do it anyway, acknowledging that it is something you have chosen...Carry on for one month, and then review your experience. At that time, you may want to continue the activity, change it, or drop it altogether. In any case, you will have had the opportunity to experience consistency and commitment without rigidity.”
I myself have seen transformation in my life from adopting habits aligned with my goals for as little as 5 minutes daily! To learn more about my approach to dance, education, and life, to join a yoga or dance class, and for many more free tools, subscribe to the A Blythe Coach YouTube Channel and visit my website at ablythecoach.com
