I'm baaack...

After 28 days off, I rolled out my mat and practiced this morning. Man, it felt so good! Those OMs felt like home! Mind you, the 28 days off felt good too, not because I needed a break from yoga, but because for most of it, I was on vacation having the time of my life. Plus, breaking routine every once in a while is good. You get outside yourself and your schedule and realize there is a whole world still going on out there.

While I was away from yoga, I was again reminded of the less obvious effects of yoga in my life. Sure, there is the physical (must admit that I have been doing splits at least three times a week to keep my hamstrings from locking up!) but yoga for me has become a sanctuary for my body and mind. I've found that when I've been confused by the mixed messages of organized religion, or when I've become the crabby little crab I can be, yoga is my great equalizer. It's not a religion, no. And yet it's not just an exercise regime, either. It's hard to put your finger on what yoga really is, so I will not attempt to define it. All I know is when I go too long without practicing, I start to feel shallow. Disconnected. From myself and others.

So while I'm sad to see my vacation end, I'm glad to be back on my mat, and I continue to be grateful for the loving physical and spiritual guidance of my teachers. Which has got me thinking: How can I spread the wealth that is yoga? How can I help others find their way to yoga? I may have gone through teacher training, but I'm still too chicken and too busy to take on teaching. I'm a good mouthpiece for it, for sure, but that's not enough. Can you imagine a world in which there were more yogis? Heck, how about just getting our politicians signed up? That'd probably fix a whole lot of what's wrong in the world in itself. Anyway, I'm wondering, I'm thinking, how do we get more people interested?