I have been practicing yoga since 1997…Social media was barely a thing when I started my yoga teacher training in 2003. I did not even own a computer then?!? WOW! Now it is a whole different world…

I have several friends who are finding yoga, falling for yoga and even in teacher training now…reading their stories and seeing photos on social media has brought back so many memories, successes, failures, and even thoughts of yoga trips I have yet to take.

Yoga really is a lifelong experience…just when you start to feel that ultimate life balance, calm and strong…life shifts again. Yoga is the best tool I’ve found to adapt to life. Yoga helps us stay centered, gracious, and present. Yoga reminds us that breathe is our constant.

This last week I was feeling lots of shifts…closing my cooking business, taking on new yoga classes, planning the pitch for my new business…all positive things…yet all major shifts. For me, knowing I can carve out lil windows to dance with gravity of my mat; that is a good feeling.

As I have watch these friends I am “inspired” (the one word I focused on for 2014), I am humbled and I am self aware. There are good things about my journey being undocumented on Facebook, Twitter and the like…

But for whatever it is worth to the newbies…Here is what yoga taught me: (merely my observations)

1) Anything you want your body to do takes patience and dedication

2) If it was easy the 1st time…you are probably in bad form

3) yoga is not a religion, a cult or a place to escape life…it is an opportunity to embrace life as it is at this moment

4) the “AH HA” makes the days of the wondering mind worth it

5) it is not a competition-not even with yourself

6) if you are breathing you are practicing yoga

7) all the expensive toys in lulu or lola don’t make you anymore or less a yogi

8) you can be a yogi and still lack flexibility

9) teachers are still students if they are great teachers

10) anyone can do it and everyone should

11) yoga can help during pregnancy (lots!)

12) you must have a home practice to truly understand yoga’s value

13) yoga journal conferences are not ALL that (no space for mats)

14) helping others nail a pose is more gratifying then reaching a goal of my own

15) if you think you’ve seen it all…try a new style

16) if you are not present, it is just stretching

17) sometimes just surya namaskar is enough

18) the 5 Tibetans work

19) true yogis 💖 true yogis

20) there are might be more studios then Starbucks now…but that might be ok

I am not ashamed to admit it took me 16 weeks to complete my FREE 10 week teacher training at Yoga and Inner Peace. I learned discipline, got to really know myself, know who was really there for me. The monk like lifestyle was eye and heart opening…I would not change a thing.
Well, maybe the tacky uniform and 45 min drive at 4am to class.

If you are new to yoga…let yourself go. If you are burnt out and find the present a hard place to reside…explore new places…yoga is an eight limb path…all roads don’t have to lead to ashrams and asanas!!

Namaste’