Swami Cat and Yoga Girl : Yoga, How it All Began (For me)

Ah, what a difference a day makes. Yesterday I felt blah. Lots of starting projects and not feeling any of the fruits of the labor yet. Yes, well, patience is one of the things I am always working on.

Today started out beautifully, meeting very nice Yogis over at Mercer County Park and sharing some Yoga, conversation and oranges. I remember my first Yoga classes over at the Freehold Yoga Center. Some of the best moments were after class, early on a Saturday morning that we would then all come toward the teacher and chat while eating whatever fruit she brought to share. I was in high school at the time, trying to find where I fit in all the time. But after Yoga I didn't worry about where I fit in, I just enjoyed the time with them, eating the sweet fruit and sitting on the rolled up blanket. This is where my love for Yoga started. I then went off to college and taken Yoga there but I continued to remember the very sweet, peaceful man who ran the Freehold Yoga Center whose classes I went to and ending in a great big bear hug. His eyes were piercing blue and I remember thinking I want to be taught how to teach Yoga from this man of infinite wisdom. But I went off to college and then grad school and spent years away from New Jersey. But the Garden State pulled me back in and soon I found myself a full-time teaching gig and had enough money to not live rent check, to rent check. I went back to Freehold Yoga Center when I could, and one day I overheard, "I don't think I'm going to do the Yoga Teacher Training any longer." It was the piercing blue eyed teacher. I suddenly remembered wanting to learn from him. The other students begged him and he said and he giggled, "One more year." And so I signed up for Yoga Teachers Training. I'm so glad I did. Now not only do I find peace from the practices and philosophy, I find the best gift of all is being able to share it with others.

So what is my Yoga Tip of the Day? Can you guess? Go share some Yoga with others. Share a book, buy a Yoga children's book for your kids, do some pranayama with your mother/father/grandparent. This is what I did last week with my nephew, sister and mother.