Yoga

Tonight I had a dream come true: I got to participate in an actual yoga class! I bought a 'how to' guide for practicing yoga about 5 months ago and got a mat for Christmas. I had this strong urge to learn yoga and feel comfortable with it before we got to India. I'm a 'flavor of the month' type person when it comes to exercise. Jan-Feb: running, Feb-Apr: yoga, May: biking...I like to switch it up, it keeps things interesting and my muscles always waiting in anticipation of what's around the corner. But there is something different about yoga, something lasting. I'm not sure if it's the slow, steady movements that force me to realize that I am a captive to my body, or the controlled breathing that reminds me that each breath is a gift from the Breath-giver, or maybe it's just the fact that you can soak in some amazing music and let yourself retreat for an hour while you burn a few cals... Either way, I've been able to enjoy many benefits of practicing yoga on my own, but tonight I was blessed to share it with a group of 25 that covered a wide range of abilities. I absolutely loved the entire experience and the dream was reinforced that someday I might lead others in yoga. 

Tonight, our leader said something profound in her prayer to end the session, she said, "God, in yoga we learn that we cannot force ourselves into a pose, we must release our urge to force and just allow our muscles to stop where they stop and grow from there. Help us to practice this submission in our daily lives."      Amen, sister.