Breathe in love breathe out hate
Breathe in peace breathe out anxiety
Breathe in courage breathe out weakness
Breathe in kindness breathe out hatred
Breathe in giving breathe out selfishness
Shante Shante Shante
Welcome to my 30 day yoga challenge...my yoga studio...Day Yoga...one of the most peaceful places in my world...offered a 21 day yoga challenge...and since I was feeling a bit out of sorts...a bit injured...a bit puffy...and a bit a few other things that were all around not making me feel good...I took their challenge...and added 9 extra days.
I began on June 2...I know weird right...but June 1st my 10:00 class was canceled and I had my athletes end-of-track-season banquet...so as with everything in life and yoga...we make the necessary adjustments!
As I sit here on June 14, 2014 I am 13 days in to my challenge...and I can honestly say...I have learned a great deal about myself, my mind is happily clear, my body is wonderfully strong, and my heart is totally full.
I have found that so much goes in to getting yourself on a mat every single day...its not like running every day...that's fairly easy...I just put on shoes and walk out the door...but for this...I have to plan...when is the class, what class do I want to go to, what teacher do I want to attend and practice with, what does my body need today, my mind, my heart, my spirit. I am enjoying the challenge that has come with this opportunity to practice for 30 consecutive days. In fact, there is a nagging voice in the back of my mind asking if I will continue through July...just to see if I can...perhaps this will be my summer of yoga...will it lead into teacher training??
My hope is that the answer to this question is yes...yoga does something for my spirit and soul...its a way of life...and a way of life I want to pass on to my family and to others within the community. Its certainly something to be shared and valued. Yoga brings so many elements in to one practice...spirituality, love, kindness, strength, weakness, determination, meditation, peace...I could go on but I think its clear...it brings emotions to the surface that must be dealt with in order to fall deeper into this journey.
It's a very raw moment when you step on your mat, you are both surrounded by your fellow community but completely alone to find what you need on that day, in that moment, in that space. But when you are present in that moment and flowing and breathing and living and you can feel the energy of the studio, the room, your mat, your fellow yogis...its hard not to realize the grandness of what you are doing...and what you are putting out into the world...if for only a moment all of those positive thoughts and feelings are being breathed out into the universe at one consecutive time and you can't help but think...your making things just a little bit better for everyone...
I hope everyone finds the strength to find their inner peace...or at least is receiving my positive energy :)!
Namaste.
From the blog Running Wild by Cara DiSalvo