Losing My Yoga Virginity

Sensing I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, she invited me to move my yoga mat closer to hers…

I don’t recall the names of the positions or poses. I do remember diving into something I knew nothing about and doing it anyway. Trusting and allowing, even after the yoga instructor repositioned me right in front of the class so I would be better able to follow along with her instructions.

Yoga!

How did I find myself in this situation? I actually took a day for me to do something for me. A self care kind of day. Taking time off for me isn’t something I can often do. Maybe if I was a better organized person or if I wasn’t so good at making excuses, maybe then I would have found the time to do something like this sooner.

My day was spent at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health which on the surface doesn’t make much sense since, well, I knew nothing about yoga. A friend had sheepishly mentioned she had taken a day to visit this center located in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. Sheepishly, because people tend to not want to publicly acknowledge they engage in self care, and she wasn’t exactly sure how I would react.

My reaction? I thought it was an awesome idea. So much so that I scheduled a day for myself.

It was such a powerful experience. I participated in plenty of non-yoga activities as well, including hiking, Tai Chi, Reiki, and found lots of time for quiet reflection and contemplation. I absorbed the positive and restorative energy of the entire campus, a campus full of strangers all seeking more of what brings them a bit more peace into their lives.

This day wouldn’t have happened without my intention to make it happen. The intention of prioritizing my own spiritual maintenance and actually making it happen. Unfortunately, our own self care is something that usually never gets prioritized. It’s something we will get to someday.

And we usually never do.

When was the last time you gave yourself a gift of a day for you? To not be a parent or a child or an employee or a spouse, but to simply be you? To intentionally focus an entire day on recharging and reconnecting with you?

Even if you can’t give a full day for you, could you commit to a half day? A few hours? A few minutes? Maybe it’s just a few moments in the morning intentionally set aside for yourself? Honestly, the amount time doesn’t matter. What really matters is intentionally prioritizing you and your spiritual and emotional care. Even if you only have a few minutes a day to do so.

My day at Kripalu reminded me of the importance of me finding time to take care of me. Even if that means waking 30 minutes earlier each morning to sit in silence and just non-judgmentally listen to the world within me. Or reading. Or writing. Or just simply reflecting upon the multitude of blessings surrounding me or expressing my gratitude for the gift of another day.

Or, even yoga.

My best days always start this way.

We all deserve our own best days, don’t we?

What can you do for you each day to reconnect with you, to intentionally prioritize your own spiritual and emotional well being?

Don’t wait for someday.

It’s a great day to be you!