Yoga

Be here now. 

Recently I returned from a 23 day yoga certification training at the Yandara Institute in Baja. Our yoga instructor and founder of Yandara, directed us to Be Here Now during one of our first morning flow practices. These three simple words have a profound impact when listened to and embodied.

Earning my 200 hour RYT to become a certified yoga instructor had been a percolating idea in my mind for at least a decade. There was always an excuse: it cost too much money, didn’t have not enough time, how could I possibly commit, I didn’t deserve that kind of opportunity, etc. My inner critic is brilliantly vocal, persistent, and cunning. So I never REALLY thought this “dream” would come to fruition.

I began practicing yoga at the local women’s gym “Cindy’s Body Shop” back in the late 1990’s. My initial attraction to yoga was how it simultaneously relaxed and energized me. It was different from all my prior fitness endeavors: competitive sports, running, high impact aerobics, kickboxing, etc. I had some baseline flexibility due to my years as a gymnast, but the slower pace was an interesting challenge for me. 

The time and focus spent on each pose, along with the breathwork, gave my monkey mind a brain break while helping my physical body feel better. Every time I showed up on my mat, no matter the teacher or the class or the events of my day, yoga managed to give me exactly what I needed. 

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