I thought a lot about the hundreds of smaller accomplishments that are wrapped up inside the bow of a college degree. Classes attended, papers written, exams taken, projects completed. Planning the course of study. Making decisions. Moving in. Moving out. Earning money to pay for it. And on, and on, and on and on.

To graduate from college, you have to choose yourself—again and again. And again. More precisely, you choose your future self, in a thousand small and significant ways.

Last night was Songs of Devotion with heart2heart, one of my very favorite studio events. As we sang songs of hope and longing and spirit together in community, I felt deeply connected and full of love. Within the sheltering walls of our little cottage, you are invited to loosen your grip on the external world for just a little while. Like so many places, families, and communities that quietly nourish the human soul, we will continue to hold space for kindness and safety.

I find I most always want to say “yes” when there is an invitation to go deeper or rise to a challenge. I am learning to lovingly push myself when my own ego or laziness becomes an obstacle. We are taught here that the peaceful and loving yogic presence needs to be powered by a warrior spirit, a deep inner strength. This resonates with me a lot.

And I am also learning to discern when something isn’t for me. Anandji reminds us often to not look to our right or our left, but to stay on our own path. Every obstacle in our unique path is an opportunity to learn and evolve. I can’t hear this enough. 

I’m trying to reframe my relationship with aging in general, and with my body as it undergoes this process. The water in a river is constantly changing, but the river itself stays recognizable as the river.

There are many reasons why I meditate, but the one that has kept me going all of these years is that it is fun! There is great joy in regular meditation. It is like going on a wonderful vacation every day.