What?! Another yoga blog?  Another somebody spouting the virtues of strong body, mind and spirit?  Yep.  I’m lovin’ on my yoga.  I’ve been at it, on and off, since I was nineteen and there’s nothing you can do about it.  I feel good.  Let’s be clear, I still like me some wine, or a dry martini.  I like my chocolate and my late nights partying with my peeps.  I indulge in popcorn, and chili dogs and texting while walking.  My phone and I like to check in with each other every few minutes to feel the love.  One of my favorite breakfasts is regular ol’ buttermilk pancakes with cheap sugary syrup and a couple slabs of Spam^tm.  No, I’m not Hawaiian, I just like Spam^tm.  I like it grilled, otherwise don’t mess with it.  It’s perfect just like it is.  I didn’t even know Spam^tm was a Hawaiian specialty until I moved to western Washington and met my Island friends.

I also like to hear my breathing, as in Ujjayi Pranayama that sounds like the ocean in my body (to me).  I don’t have to huff with the exertion of running or skipping rope or pounding a punching bag.  I can just breathe.  I have learned to use my nostrils to alternate my breath and gain inner balance.  Who’d of thunk that would be so cool?  I have expelled “negative” energy in a Lion’s Breathe that was probably such bad breathe it would have knocked over an entire bed of roses.  On a side note – I now scrape my tongue in the morning to help with my breath.  That’s probably too much information.

Yoga opens up my body, my chest, my hips, and my back with each of the poses.  I like knowing that my ankles are getting stronger the longer I stand on one leg regardless if I am pretending to be a tree or a flying warrior or a half moon – and even when I am just brushing my teeth.  I like pretending to be a tree and a flying warrior and a half moon.  I like pretending I am young and pretty too.  My favorite pretend is that I am intelligent.  Sometimes that one works best.

I don’t have to sweat to feel my body grow stronger.  I don’t have to disturb anyone or even turn on the lights.  What I make teaching pays for my own classes.  With yoga I have found a community that gets together on a regular basis.  And we all feel good after practice.  There is everything right in feeling good.  We are not kidding ourselves.  We just feel good.

I come away from yoga feeling centered and complete.  My whole body is working with me and not against me, even if just for a little while.  And the more I do yoga the more my body works with me.  This feeling is sustainable.  When my body feels good the rest of me just tags along for the good ride.  Stability in my body pours out as stability in my emotions.  That’s huge.  That’s better than any little pill, and I have tried a couple.

Really, I’m just another yoga chick.  Feeling the good, wanting to expand on the feeling, wanting to share and support other yoga lovin’ yogis.  It’s a real thing.