The practice of yoga is a practice of making connections – between and within our bodies, minds and hearts. These connections lead to more nurturing connections with people around us, our work choices and our food choices. The practice is a choice to nourish and fortify ourselves, and like the practice of respectful eating habits, is a choice that we make daily.
A mother-son connection
As my dear friend and colleague Christina Sell points out, “…when I use the word practice I am not referring only to asana. For me practice involves an approach to life that is anchored in a commitment to see clearly and to act from that [clear] vision. Practice, for me, includes but is not limited to, asana, pranayama [breath awareness], meditation, what I eat, how I eat, why I eat, observing myself, my thoughts, my actions, my reactions, my responses, the cultivation of compassion for myself and others, study, serving, being a friend, a mate, a daughter, a sister and so on.”
The choice we make to optimally nourish our bodies swiftly enhances the world within and around us. When we are caring for ourselves, our actions will serve, serve our families, our friendships, our studies, our creative endeavors, any interaction or conversation that we have on any given day. By “serve,” I mean offer our listening and our attention in an uplifting, grateful, supportive way. This kind of attentiveness opens us up to receive more and the cycle of abundance continues unabated.
So why Yoga Earth? What has this choice done for me?
Through the years of practicing and then teaching yoga, I’ve been entranced by a multitude of topics of study from Self Mastery to Acupuncture, and am learning to carefully and spaciously observe the specific consequences of my choices.
When I do asana [poses], I have an opening in my body and my heart, and a necessary pause in my mind. When I am patient with my child, we two experience a revitalized connection each time. When I eat well, for example when I eat leafy greens daily, I am more energized and my skin looks better. When I drink juice, the whites of my eyes are shinier. When I drink YogaEarth daily, whether I do not have access to healthy food due to travel or time constraints, or even when I do manage to eat well, I notice an improvement in my digestion, my energy level is sustained for longer periods of time and it seems to boost my immunity, important when I’m traveling alot. I’m still gathering information after 5 months of enjoying it, but the aspect of ritual, of punctuation, that YogaEarth adds to my life has been a blessing.
Each time I open the packet and stir it up in just the right amount of water to prepare for either my day or my practice, I take a moment to be grateful for this nourishment, the gift of the practice, the day, the moment, whatever it’s bringing. Whether I’m having a hard time with myself or the world around me, or I’m feeling integrated and whole, as soon as I engage in this ritual of nourishment with YogaEarth, I’m present, receiving.
What more can we ask for?
