Hiking Yogini

I’ll be honest … I’m not entirely sure what’s behind my motivation to blog about my Yogic journey, why I want to share the rawness of it. Choosing to live “yogically” isn’t easy, although it’s somewhat of a simple decision.  Incorporating yogic values into one’s daily life seems, at face value, an honorable, basic and high-falutin’ endeavor.  However, at it’s core, I’m sometimes thinking it could have masochistic leanings…  Ok, so apparently I’m starting my blog at a particularly cynical moment…

Work is stretching all my yogini muscles.  I’m overly stressed, overwhelmed and in general, I’m in a job with which I’m not overly enamored. The company is, as corporations go, a darn good one. I work with good people, but work doing something that now bores me and leaves me feeling seriously unfulfilled.  And now, like many, due to layoffs and resignations, I’m also overworked and under-resourced, thus leading to my current state of succumbing to a constant state of stress-induced flight/fight waves of adrenaline.  What’s a Yogini to do?  Start a blog, apparently.

I’ve been practicing/teaching yoga for a decent number of years, long enough to know that Yoga, as a practice, is something that comes and goes in waves.  One minute you get it – it’s fantastic and everything makes sense and breath, asana, and life’s Prana flow together – it’s GREAT!  And then circumstances send that wave heading rapidly toward the rocks and the next thing you know, you’re struggling to get in a breath at all as the waves push you violently toward shore.  So.  This is where I find myself.  I’m caught in the undertow of life wondering just how the heck Yoga is going to carry me to safety.  Can I trust that it’s even up to the task?  Or will I be reaching for old, tried-and-true-but-ultimately-unhealthy choices to carry me through?  Can I even dredge up enough compassion for myself to make the distinction?

The Bhaghava Gita states (to paraphrase) that on the path of Yoga, no effort is lost, even a little practice saves one from great suffering.  Although I’ve practiced, to varying degrees, for many years, and I like to think I bring much of Yoga into my daily life, there are still the mysteries of practice which elude me … I still suffer.

I want to explore Yoga and share my explorations via this blog.  I want to share the complex and the simple discoveries.  If a little Yoga can save one from great suffering, then it’s time for me to truly begin delve in to it … or I surrender to a life of suffering.  And I’ve practiced long enough, and seen/felt enough, to know that those sensations aren’t permanent – I have at least that much faith.  Besides, I can’t think of any more excuses. I’ve been avoiding my Satya (truth) for too long.  However, I will state that I am not making promises. I’m not making any grandiose statements about achieving Samadhi just because I’ve decided to focus.  The only statement I’m making is that I’m going to take a breath and put forth some effort with as much compassion, love and kindness as I can muster – for others and myself.  And isn’t that, really, all any of us can do?

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