I like beer. No, I really, really love GOOD beer (no “light” beers please). Come Friday, a cold beer is a welcome invitation to the weekend. However, a couple months ago I found this really great yoga class by an awesome teacher that just so happened to be on Fridays at 6PM. Dilemma, dilemma: beer or yoga?
Two years ago, I hands down would have chosen the beer. Yoga was definitely not my style. I grew up with two older brothers and contact sports/ hitting any type of athletic ball is my kind of sport. However, on a whim, a year and a half ago I decided to go to a yoga class one night with my roommate. Gosh, it was addicting from the first Ohm. Well, not really. That took some getting used to. However, the strength, balance, flexibility, power and pure inner strength that yoga demands of you hooked me right away. I also attribute a great first yoga class to an outstanding teacher, Colleen. Never in my wildest dreams would I have believed that I would be standing on my head in my very first class. Seriously?! Yes, my head. Just proves that you can do whatever you don’t tell yourself that you CAN”T do. In other words, I didn’t have time to psyche myself out.
Flash-forward to present day and I find myself needing to divulge the wisdom that I took away from class today. Yes, I chose yoga over beer today. My teacher, Ariel, commented in class that yoga is beyond just a physical practice, but mental as well. Whether practicing yoga helps to bring clarity, assists you in working through challenges or sending blessings and thanks to others, you need to open your mind. I try to take away something from each class and I thought I would help spread the love tonight. Open your mind and be willing to receive. To quote Bruce Brown from the surf film Endless Summer II:
“If you are willing to take a leap of faith, get off your butt, who knows how many great things are waiting in the world out there?”
I hope you are glad that I said no to that happy hour…
Namaste friends.
