What is Yoga?
(excerpt from my Intro to Yoga Workshop)
Why do we do this practice of yoga? Certainly, we improve balance, focus, flexibility, endurance, fitness, wellness, happiness and peace of mind. These are all lovely and practical and amazing benefits, but what IS this yoga?
“Yoga is not about touching your toes, its about what you learn on the way down”. (quote credit to Judith Hanson Lasater) Its not a competition, or about how flexible you are or whether you can bend yourself into a pretzel shape. Sure, these things may improve over time, but yoga doesn’t care about that.
Yoga is about connection, not separation. Connection with your self, with eachother, with nature, with Jah, Allah, Buddha, God, Mother 
Nature, Planet Earth, Father Time or whatever you call it that connects “YOU” to that “SOMETHING MORE”.
It’s about showing up more fully, more present, able to see another being as friend, as connected. Recognizing commonalities rather than differences.
It’s about being able to love more fully, laugh more readily, and smile more easily, content with things just as they are, even if things aren’t just as you want.
It’s about empowerment, responsibility and standing firmly rooted in solid values even when those around you don’t reflect those values back.
It’s about finding the focus to live amidst the cacophony of this world without being rocked from your roots at every tough turn.
It’s about getting better at being YOU. Not the YOU the world thinks you should be, or the YOU your parents tell you to be, or the YOU your friends push you to be. But the real, raw, gut level Soul of YOU that is a Gift: beautiful and perfect and EXACTLY what this world needs.
Its about getting in touch with THAT you, and your own gifts and deciding how you want to show up in this world.
And then, SHOWING UP.
How WILL you show up for this life?
If you are interested in learning more about integrating Yoga into your life, click the below links.