Our yoga asana (physical) practice is an ongoing conversation we have with our bodies. Your instructor might be able to spot something that looks potentially harmful, and they might not. We are in conversation with our bodies the entire time we are on the mat. As with most conversations, the listening part is the most important. No two days are exactly the same in these extraordinary vessels of ours.   

When I act as though I am interconnected, I can start to feel it. I remember that I don’t exist in isolation, that I am held in an intricate web of relationships—with people, with the natural world, with something greater than ourselves. And when I feel that, I move through life differently. With more care. With more gratitude. With a sense of belonging and an increased sense of responsibility.

When I fully recognize my place in the web, I recognize the ways my presence, my choices, and my energy ripples outward.

There’s a famous Rumi quote that goes: “yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

But in truth we desperately need both.

I try to attend to the many details of this human life with as much skill and grace as I can muster - while not losing sight of the big picture. The truly important stuff. There’s a saying Bill and I often repeat to each other: “the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” (Stephen Covey).

These ceremonies have imprinted on my body, mind, and soul states of expanded awareness that I can revisit through yoga practice. Every time I release tension on the mat and feel relaxation and flow, I’m touching that state, even if my mind doesn’t fully register it. And so are you.

Growing up, I was steeped in the values of doing, achieving, and productivity. My parents, like so many others, instilled this focus on action: Do the thing. Get it done. Sound familiar to any of you?

While I have worked to soften the edges of this well-intentioned conditioning, I have moments where I appreciate it.

There’s something I love about the energy of New Year’s—the sense of turning a fresh page. It’s a natural time to reflect and be intentional about what we want change to look like in our lives. Because here’s the truth: we are always changing. Time marches on. Circumstances shift. Life shapes us. Even the cells in our body completely renew themselves every seven years. Impermanence isn’t just a groovy Buddhist catchphrase—it’s real. We couldn’t keep things the same even if we wanted to.

On the longest night and shortest day of the year in the Western Hemisphere—the Winter Solstice—we traditionally celebrate the return of the light. From this point forward, the days gradually lengthen, and we are gifted with more sunlight. It’s a time when themes of hope, growth, and potential come to the forefront. A beautiful opportunity to look to the horizon and dream.

As you think about gifts for your loved ones this season, I encourage you to reflect on what you need too. What would bring you joy or peace right now? Maybe it’s saying “no” to an invitation that doesn’t spark excitement. Or perhaps it’s granting yourself the gift of grace and forgiveness. Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup, so take time to nourish yourself.

I have set an intention to start the 21-day challenge on Thanksgiving day. I don’t think of myself as a chronic complainer, but I’m quite sure I’ll find that I complain a lot more than I thought. The book says most people take 4-6 months to get to 21 consecutive days!  Have you done this challenge? How did it go? Join me!  

The perception that we are all one soul underneath (ALL – the plants the animals the cosmos everything) – changes the game. Changes utterly how we show up in the world. Yoga literally means “union,” and it means being in this state of unity with everything. I know that you know this to be true. Because I see this incredible community showing up in that way.

Later, the sun will set. In between we’ll do things, we’ll think things, things will happen. I think of Shakespeare’s famous quote from the Tempest: “We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with sleep.”  It is all fragile, dreamlike, temporary. This too, shall pass. Whatever “this" “may be.

In the spiritual teachings of Yoga – as in many traditions- death is not the end but a shedding of the body. Here’s an overly simplistic summary: The Yogic view of the soul is that we are all one connected spirit or soul, called Brahman. We have individualized, localized versions of the soul, called Atman. Atman expresses itself as “Lexie” or “Meadow” but that is not who we really are. It is like an Avatar we use during our embodied time(s). Who we really are, is timeless, formless, and Divine. So shedding the body? Not a tragedy, especially if, during this life, we have come to really understand and connect with Brahman.

How to sustain a yogic mindset amidst the drama and challenges of life? Practice.

One of the more well-known sutras in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras describes the need to live your yoga with such commitment that it becomes completely established in you. Towards the end of our program we discussed at length the importance of maintaining our daily Sadhana – our practices. Our amazing teachers did not mince words – to teach yoga from a place of authenticity and skill, we need to live our Yoga. Learn to prioritize our inner world over the external world.

A tall order in this busy life.

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. 

The wise & compassionate Teacher here at Sattva, Anand Mehrotra, says: “Master your mind, master your energy, master your life.” So by 8:30 we are in Bramanda hall for the 90-minute Morning Journey with Anandji. Learning to master our energy. Young Jedis. [...] Experiences may include but are not limited to: healing, detoxifying, powerful emotions, releasing old patterns of thought and behavior, transcendence, deep love, bliss. These practices are powerful.

A wall carving at the Shiva temple reminds us that to be here on this planet as a human being is an improbable karmic miracle not to be squandered. As spiritual beings in a human body we have a unique opportunity that other life forms do not have: to learn, heal, grow and transcend.

I don’t want to waste this precious appointment with life. How fortunate I am for this opportunity to learn, to grow, and to see the world through fresh eyes. I am beyond grateful.

Our bodies are our gateway to experiencing the world. Through yoga, we can transform our relationship with our bodies, turning them into allies on our journey. In the quiet of the practice, we learn to listen deeply, nurturing a compassionate connection with ourselves.

As September rolls in, we’re refreshing our weekly yoga schedule to align with our shifting routines. Each of our teachers brings a unique and important interpretation of yoga. Finding the right class with the right teacher at the right time can be a challenge, but we hope you'll find your rhythm with us this fall. As the well-known yoga teacher Ganga White once said, “In truth, yoga doesn’t take time – it gives time.”