Riding my bicycle, walking on the beach, teaching a yoga class, playing with our dog, and on my mat practicing yoga are times when I have felt like I am in the flow of life. I am not trying, controlling, or thinking….I am just doing. This is when I am connected to my Inner Self. The indestructible and never leaving Self.
The practice of yoga subtracts that which interferes with our ability to see and move from our Inner Self.
Who am I without my conditioning?
How is it when I leave my essence?
What takes me away?
What brings me back?
How might it be to live our daily lives with these questions in mind? What if a daily morning yoga practice allowed us to connect with our Inner Self if even just for a moment? How would our lives look different?
Yoga has changed my life in many ways.
Without my conditioning, I know my value. I know my worth. I understand why and where my actions come from, both helpful and unhelpful. I feel the connection we all have to one another and our collective responsibility. I know how to nurture myself to truly nurture others.
When I leave my essence, I feel lost. I feel agitated. I worry. I do not know my value. I look for ways to numb myself.
So many things can take me away; food, television, social media, unhelpful thoughts, shopping, too much time indoors, and the list goes on and on.
Things that bring me back are my yoga practice, supportive community, drinking water, eating protein, going for a walk, playing with our dog, meditation, and my yoga practice. Yes, I meant to list it twice.
A skillful, individualized yoga practice is indeed life changing. I share this with an immense gratitude for my many teachers, mentors, community, and friends.
Susan