September is Yoga Awareness Month
My soul dog. I’ve loved all my pups, but this one - he just got me. We were mates. Of the soul variety. My asana partner as he’s pictured here.
What could I offer for Yoga Awareness Month? I thought long and hard and came up with, I should turn it inward. And give myself the grace of no judgment in abandoning my 200-hour yoga teacher training - dropping it like a hot potato. I got distracted. (Does that sound like judgment?) But truly, it’s alright. This happens. To me. To all of us. And it’s ok. We can just get back at it.
I was going to write, “back on the mat.” But what I was most intrigued by in taking on this program, after years of what I thought was a well-balanced practice was that yoga was much more than what I’d known it to be. Much more than the mat. I love a good down dog - goddess - sivasana, yes please. And my love of asana (poses) got me to the place where I am now. So I honor it. Curious and desiring more.
There are 8 limbs to yoga apparently and until recently, I was only embracing 1. What about the other 7? If I were an octopus I would not have been functioning to my highest potential - just one tentacle flapping in the water while the others sat idly by.
Yamas. Niyamas. The shoulds and the shouldn’ts of a well-lived and balanced life. Five of each. A yogic moral code. Ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truthfulness) and so on.
From LittleStep Shop on Red Bubble. Their other posters - too funny. Check ‘em out.
And as I was moving along the program I’d taken on, I found books. This often stops me in my tracks. Books! One in particular stood out. The Yamas & Niyamas - Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice by Deborah Adele.
In honor of Yoga Awareness Month, I might read it again. Or listen. I love Audible. I never lost the fascination born in childhood of someone reading to me. It feels like home. And my 52 year old eyes get enough work during the workday. Audible, sing to me. While I rest my peepers, if you don’t mind.
So I’ll be listening again. The Yamas first. And then the Niyamas. Probably again and again until I feel they’re ingrained in my every day life - from waking, to living to sleeping and dreaming. Join me? All are welcome.
And from me to you, happy yoga awareness month! In honor, give yourself some grace.
