12/09/2026
In the past, when people said, “You are so disciplined,” it made me feel extremely good.
Getting onto the mat was an act of discipline. While it supported me in many ways, it sometimes carried rigidity and hardness.
I practised because I was disciplined, because it was a quality others admired and one I valued within myself.
Yet sometimes, discipline stopped me from listening inwardly.
I didn’t always ask:
What kind of practice is right for me today?
Where am I in my cycle?
How am I energetically?
What do I need physically, emotionally or spiritually?
Perhaps I didn’t need to get onto the mat. Perhaps I needed to get into the woods, journal, pray or dance. Perhaps I needed breathwork, meditation, nature bathing or simply rest.
These days, getting onto the mat feels less like discipline and more like devotion.
It is a practice of listening inwardly - attuning to the cues of this amazing instrument called the body♾️mind. It is listening for what will support greater heart coherence and aliveness while nurturing my body and soul.
Devotion, for me, comes from love and acceptance. It asks me to show up, but without rigidity. It allows for receptivity, play and lightness.
Sometimes my devotional practice is long and physical. Sometimes it is a few conscious breaths, a meditation, a walk in nature or a moment of prayer. Whatever form it takes becomes the ritual of that day, a moment devoted to nourishment and filling my own cup.
Perhaps devotion is discipline softened by discernment.
And yes, sometimes I still think, “F**k it, I’m not doing anything.” Yet I know that even the smallest devotional practice helps me show up differently - for myself, those I love, my clients and the people I encounter.
It helps me recognise my whole inner landscape: anger, grief, disappointment, love and immense zest for life. It helps me become aware of what is truly present and myth-bust the stories I may be projecting onto others, the world or myself.
Perhaps devotion is not about doing more.
Perhaps it is about listening more deeply and allowing our practice to arise from love.
What does your practice feel like at the moment, discipline, devotion or perhaps a little of both?