Yoga — A journey of gratitude and new beginnings.
My yoga mat is a welcoming place where time slows down and nothing else matters. Regardless of how long it has been since my last practice, it’s always an unconditional space where I can move and explore.
There is nostalgia in reminiscing about poses I once mastered. You see, life has its way of guiding us back to paths we once traveled. What seemed like a simple return to a regular yoga practice, has transformed into an opportunity to continue a role I once embraced — that of a yoga instructor.
The universe has staged the opportunity for me once again to share the wisdom and the gifts of yoga. As I reflect on my years of practice and my previous years as an instructor, I recognize the beliefs I held that kept me from returning to teaching. The belief that I had to be at a certain level of practice, a certain level of fitness, a specific physical shape — these self-imposed barriers I adopted after becoming a mom, hindered my return to teaching.
With new wisdom gained through this experience, I realize that none of these reasons matter.
Monday a new 21-day Mandala training begins. It’s been years since the last one I took. I remind myself it’s not about achieving physical prowess; it’s about delving into the discovery of self through yoga, as I listen to how my body and my mind respond to daily practice.
My heart beams with joy and gratitude, for the moments of stillness that I get to enjoy on my mat, as they are far and few in between the hustle and bustle of life as a mom.
I am grateful for the resilience of my body that allows me to move, play, and explore new poses after a brief/not-so-brief hiatus. I am grateful for the ongoing gifts that await in these 21 days and beyond.
I stand in between the past and the present, recognizing that the journey of teaching is not limited by time or place. It transcends the confines of a studio and can reignite when the heart calls for it.
“It is not how good you are, but how much you can improve,” as Jonathan Patriarca, a late and beloved teacher, would say.
Yoga is not about perfection; it’s about sharing the practice with an open heart, embracing the imperfections, and acknowledging that everybody and every yoga journey is indeed, unique. After all, “it is yoga practice, not yoga perfect” as I would often tell my students in the past.
It is simply to allow yourself to step on your mat and be willing to practice. “Do your practice and all is coming.” K. Pattabhi Jois
So here’s to rediscovery, to shedding limitations, and to the realization that we can begin anew, anytime, regardless of where we find ourselves in life.
❥ Namaste
“The light in me honors and salutes the light within you.”
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