The Struggle

Yoga is a very personal and deep journey. Whether we being alone or with a friend or as part of a group, there is still a oneness to it. It is a voyage no one else can understand because it's different for everyone. It's like a shared experience of being individuals. For me, the concept of yoga runs through my blood. My whole family of psychologists has always focused on mindfulness and inner peace. So unlike the people who arrive at yoga through asana (the actual movements and poses), I came from the other side. The philosophy, the mindset - it all makes sense to me.

The practice of asana does not come so easily. In fact, being overweight can make asana kind of a struggle. But instead of getting frustrated, I find it paramount to my practice to be comfortable with the struggle. Once I can let it fade out of my awareness, I can really live. The struggle is part of what I love now. I connect the struggle with the tendency I have to struggle in my life. Deciding to live a healthy lifestyle or stop complaining is easy at first. The momentum keeps you going for awhile. But then there's the struggle - the frustration - of things not being so easy or going as planned. Then I want to give up. For so long, I've been so scared of that struggle that I haven't really lived life. Instead of trying to fix the struggle, sometimes I have to remind myself that it's a part of life... a part that defines you. I like the idea of using yoga to define who I am on all fronts. Yoga isn't a place you go or a thing you do. It's a congruent and peaceful way to live your life to the highest capacity. A way to connect body, mind, soul, heart, and intentions.

"It means a poise of the soul which enables one to look at life in all aspects evenly."
-Light on Yoga (Iyengar)