September 10, 2015

Labour day weekend has passed and we are in the midst of the back to school vibe of early September. Conscious of the energy this time of the year can generate, I asked my class to  contemplate why they practice yoga. What is the energy that moves them to come to the mat and to class. Half of the class volunteered to share their responses.  As people spoke, the room grew quiet and attentive. Small smiles and murmurs of agreement emerged as people took in and resonated with another’s response. The answers were simple, beautiful, sincere and inspiring and none talked about a pose.

This has been my experience as a yoga teacher and practitioner. When asked about motivation to practice, students don’t talk about poses or physical achievement. They acknowledge that the pull to practice is about a rich, satisfying and evocative inner experience to which we wish to return. We speak about a state glimpsed or felt and the intention to return to and live more fully from that state. Listening to students describe this inner experience was moving. I wish I could remember exactly what was said.
Instead, here are my paraphrased recollections of some of the responses. May they touch and inspire you.

To come home.
To connect to my Self. I am not sure I know what that means but I am in a process of finding out and I know there is something there.
To remember. To remember what is true and real.
To find calm in the chaos.
To become more conscious, aware.
To practice being gentle with myself.
To know peace.
To breathe.
To trust.
To live from my heart.