I know 20 things is a bit much for the SEO rules. Â Oh! Â You don’t know what SEO is? Â Search engine optimization. Â Blogging experts suggest writing about 7 to 10 items. Â Odd numbers are better. Â Perhaps I will stop at 19? Â Would that please the SEO gods? Â Do I really need to please them?
My mat, water bottle and yoga bag (a Christmas gift from my son Peter’s thoughtful girlfriend, Breezy) create a poignant still life in the back of my Mini. Add recycled bags for Trader Joe’s and life is good.
Yes.. life is good. And yoga makes it that much better!
Here are some of the things that I have gleaned from my yoga practice:
- Showing up to class is half the battle
- Find a yoga studio that is on your way home from work. Â If you miss class you will feel extremely guilty when you pass that exit!
- Yoga is an undulating spiritual practice that you can delve into and never know everything about.
- Yoga makes me happy.. very happy.
- People who love yoga are generally very wonderful people.
- Communities form around a yoga studio.
- It’s all about me in yoga! Â My practice! Â My progress! Â My effort!
- I will never look like the person next to me in triangle pose.
- I may never be as flexible as the person next to me because I’m a one hip diva. Â But I am flexible enough. It is MY practice after all.
- Happy yoga teachers make happy yoga students.
- When the instructor talks about letting go of stress in the pose I realize that I have historic stored stress. Â Letting go takes a lot of effort and concentration.
- Yoga is not for wusses. Â I dare ya. Â Go do it. Â There are days I’d rather have a root canal.
- Yoga develops discipline. Â Discipline to show up, to participate, and to be humbled.
- Yoga is a moving prayer. The instructor often asks you to set your intention for the session. Â I always pray for one of my sons. Â Whomever needs it most. Â I feel so close to them when I am doing yoga.
- It doesn’t matter how early I get to yoga class, there will always be someone in the way of my being able to see myself in the mirror. Â Another humbling experience.
- If you hang in there for 90 minutes of class there is always a happy ending. Â That is an awesome guarantee.
- It’s ok to smile while doing yoga
- In every yoga class I learn something new… feet here, arms there, push here, let go of that…
- The philosophical underpinnings of yoga are rich and the lessons endless.
- I am becoming passionate about yoga. Â Being passionate about something in my life makes life worthwhile. Â Amen. Â Alleluia.
- I <3 yoga!
Do you do yoga? Â I’d love to hear about your experience.
Namaste..
I love restorative yoga, for those of us who have suffered an injury. So tranquil, and relaxing. I often fall asleep lying on my yoga mat at the end of the session. I used to go to yoga class at the local YMCA, it was fantastic, but our instructor moved out of state and I didn’t care for the new one. She wouldn’t let me spend the whole time in Child’s Pose : D
Oh I love child’s pose as well! Happy baby is difficult though… I’m not as flexible as I used to be. But am working on that!!
I went to Kanab, Utah, last November to find some peace in small community of less than 5,ooo people. The one place that offered yoga in this town at 5,000 feet above sea level was the only gym/studio in that town. The yoga instructor was a slender woman in her 60’s that often would do handstands before class with complete ease and balance. A reminder that this practice was not about physical strength alone, but focus and letting go. Her class was always lighthearted yet challenging and she made each of us feel welcome and capable.
Thanks for your response, Jeff. I feel the same about yoga. It is a personal challenge and with every session I feel more in touch with what my body can do. I’m encouraged by your instructor who in her “60’s” is doing handstands before class! Something for me to work on!