Yoga

"Yoga, an ancient but perfect science, deals with the evolution of humanity."

B.K.S. Iyengar

Throughout the past two years, I have had an off and on relationship with my yoga practice. Some months I find myself on my mat once a week. Other months it's more like every other day. Regardless of the length of time spent away, I keep coming back. I come back and I grow. I grow not only in my practice, but in my understanding of what it means to be me.

Accepting the limitations of my own body has been difficult, but it has also helped to eliminate some of the competitive restlessness I struggle with. Fortunately, my sense of worth in a yoga class is not determined by how open my hips are (per my beautiful teacher, EN). My sense of worth is more so determined by how open my heart is.

In a pose like Camatkarasana (Yoga Journal's definition: Wild Thing...The ecstatic unfolding of the enraptured heart.), the body must remain bound to the earth, while the heart faces skyward. This pose is essentially not unlike life. Through the grounding of my feet I am stable, but by offering my heart I am free. Yoga has encouraged me to live with this sense of balance between steadiness and openness. A balance that enables me to act with grace. Anusara philosophy suggests, "On our yoga mat we artistically offer our individual light and our unique music with the heartfelt prayer of adding more beauty, love, and goodness to the world." I couldn't agree more.

Yoga has offered infinite growth, and I'm so incredibly grateful for the teachers who have offered their invaluable wisdom. Namaste.

image via Yoga Journal