“Yoga is the practice of quieting the mind.”  ~Patanjali, translated from Sanskri

I missed all the morning yoga classes today because we slept in–waaaaay in. But, oh, how good it felt to do just that! Well, I thought to myself, I can miss yoga today. I’ve done it for 10 days in a row already, that’s quite an accomplishment. Check.

And then I find myself at Kyle’s Saturday afternoon class at 4:30. The same time I was here on Friday. Kyle and I have a special kindredship like Laura and I do. Kyle and I were partners during an exercise in a workshop. We had just written our biggest dreams, and now we had to share them with a complete stranger! I will always remember hers: She and her husband were trying to get pregnant. What a magical experience to be a part of–and now she is the wonderful mother she set out to be.

This was my first class with Kyle, and I greeted her with a big hug and a sense of excitement! Well, now this class is going to be awesome because Kyle is teaching and it’s a new teacher for me and…yes, all those expectations flooded in.

And then I hit the mat. And I wanted to run out at every corner. No, this isn’t supposed to be like this. Ok, just a few more breaths and then I can get out of this pose. I was reeling from all these thoughts, and then I heard Kyle ask me to stay in it; that this is where the yoga practice really starts.

Yeah, Yeah, I’ve heard that before. Let me just hold on to knowing it’s almost over. And then I remembered my intention. After having a few practices in a row with challenging thoughts, I decided to find the good in every pose I did. So as we stretched out hips, I felt the tightness, and I said to myself, Oh, I am so glad I am doing this for my hips! It was a little forced, but a step in the right direction. A better judgment to have, until I have no judgment at all.

Quieting the mind is not easy to do, but no one ever said it would be.