Namaste

One of my bucket list items before I turn 40 has been to try yoga. I only know one person who actually does yoga, the rest are celebs who brag their slammin' bodies are a product of yoga. So I figured it was worth a try. However, with my schedule I had to take the Sunrise Yoga class at 6 a.m... I don't really think the sun rose much while I was there.

Of the 16 people, yes I counted, I was the only yogi newbie - she called us her Yogis at the end of class. So, there I was praying like mad that I wouldn't make a fool of myself in front of the seasoned yogis who could contort their bodies like I'd never seen. Not all were amazing, only a small handful.

Kathryn, our teacher, started class in an unexpected way. We were all sitting on our mats and she starts talking about the mirror. She's been practicing yoga for 9 years - no wonder she could put one arm under her leg, the other behind her back while in a lunge and then proceed to lock her fingers. Psycho! Anyway, back to deep thoughts by Kathryn... She said the mirror has  been an issue for her all this time. We use it to bring ourselves down - look at my____ it looks horrible. Or to boost ourselves up - look how I awesome I look in that pose. She asked us to look in the mirror, What do we see? Now close your eyes, What do you see? At the end of class she brought it up again. "Look in the mirror. Did you use it for judgment?" I found it very profound, she was encouraging us to look at the heart, at what really matters.

Nearing the end of class she spoke of the power of intention - How are you going to live your life this week? That really challenged me. How intentional will I be in all that I do - as a wife, mother, friend, sister, and daughter. Good stuff to think about.

While I was grabbing some coffee, a veteran yogi asked how my first time went? I said, "We'll see later today by how sore I am, then I'll know." I asked her how yoga has benefited her the most. She said, "My head." A bit surprised by this answer I thought, the only thing my head did was get a head rush while I was in downward facing dog. She said, "The mental part. Accepting my body for what it is."

Here, here to acceptance! As I head quickly toward 40 I continue to work on acceptance of the body God gave me. Maybe these yogis have something for me to learn after all. In the words of Kathryn, Namaste.