The JOY is in the Journey

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Well friends, I have decided to start a new journey and am in my second week of Yoga Teacher Training! Remember last year when I talked about 'Finishing What You Start' and said this was one thing I would love to accomplish...well, I'm doing it! I'm a bit terrified, but overall I feel that this is exactly what I need to be doing right at this moment.

For the next 8 weeks, I will be consumed with reading, practice teaching, trainings, lectures, and improving my own practice. I am excited to see where the journey takes me, and can't wait to be able to share yoga with others.

Our first homework assignment was to write an essay on what yoga is to ME, and I decided to share a few highlights of the reasons why I am drawn to this practice, and hopefully you'll be inspired to go take a yoga class this week and feel it for yourself!

The moment I reach my mat, I begin the process of uniting or re-uniting with myself. The world behind and ahead of me disappears, and I suddenly feel comforted, calm, and quiet. The insecurities, the worries, my relationships, and many other thoughts that cloud my mind suddenly begin to fade away, and my focus moves toward my breath and the strength of my body on that day. With each practice, I am amazed and grateful of what the body is capable of, which nourishes and pushes my mind to continue further in my practice. And sometimes, it is not my body that needs the extra attention and love, but my mind, and yoga is the silence.

My regular practice has truly made me more accepting of myself and my body, and if you can love and respect yourself to the fullest, then the love and respect you bring to others will only be greater. If you can't love yourself, then it's very difficult to truly love others in an unconditional and nonjudgmental way. No one is perfect, and yoga is forgiving, and teaches you to be forgiving. Each time I practice is a new chance to start over, to recreate, and decide the path I want my life to take that day. Yoga creates a calm strength, not only in my body, but throughout my life and interactions when I leave my mat. My yoga practice has encouraged me to crave and seek positive experiences and positive relationships.

I am truly grateful for the community of yoga that is always there to comfort me during both the hardest, and the best times of my life.