Hello, dear reader!
It has been several weeks since my last post.
And good ole time, in all its gloriously elasticity, is playing one of its tricks on me again!
Somehow those several weeks feel more like months; like I inadvertently slipped into an entirely different calendar year without even noticing it.
But perhaps that is because in many ways it actually is an entirely different year from what it was last month!
Sure, it may still be 2021, but even just over the past fortnight, so much newness has occurred.
My own family happens to be Greek Orthodox, and September 1st marks the Ecclesiastical New Year in the Greek church.
The Jewish new year, Rosh Hashana, happened right after that at the beginning of this week.
And just yesterday morning, the academic new year began for both my daughters, who are entering 3rd and 6th grades.
I am also resuming my in-person group classes next week after breaking for summer, so in short, lots of stuff is starting up again.
Newness abounds!
And I have to admit: I am really ready for some newness.
Who in the world knows what it will bring, but it feels exciting and full of potential, at least in my world.
The fact of the matter of course is that newness (or at least the possibility of it) is always present, always available. Sometimes we just feel it more acutely for whatever reasons.
Those reasons might come from an externally prescribed calendar date, seasonal or lunar cycles, or simply a phone call sharing some unexpected news.
Sometimes new beginnings are slow and deliberate, and sometimes they catch us completely off guard.
Sometimes they are sparked by events happening in our external surroundings, and sometimes they come from within.
But whenever and however they happen, new beginnings are one of life’s most beautiful mysteries, at least in my book. Scary, yes. But beautiful.
At its best, yoga constantly offers up opportunities for new beginnings.
With its focused attention on the breath, it can allow you to experience each inhale as an opportunity to show up, be present, and embrace that singular moment that has never happened before since the beginning of time.
And each exhale lets you sink into that present moment, to fill it up and really live there even if just for a second.
Yoga can also give you the space to come to terms with whatever past events have brought you to the present moment, so that you can move forward into the future with greater clarity and awareness, releasing the weight of baggage you no longer need.
At its best, yoga itself is an opportunity.
The very first of the yoga sutras (the primary tenets of yoga recorded by the sage Patanjali in the 2nd century BC), “Atha yoga-anushasanam” says simply, “Now begins the study of yoga.”
And that isn’t just Patanjali trying to be a smartass by stating the completely obvious.
His most important emphasis is on the word NOW.
Right NOW is new.
Right NOW is an opportunity.
Right NOW is a chance for a new beginning even if it may not feel that way.
It doesn’t have to be New Year’s to be a new year.
We are gifted that opportunity every single day of our lives.
But it is up to each one of us to rise to the occasion.
To show up.
To begin.
Over and over and over again.
It is never too early or too late.
And thank God for that.
Want to practice yoga with me from anywhere in the world?
Sign up for the 21-Day Calm Your Mind Challenge! Get a short basic yoga sequence emailed to your inbox daily with links to video instruction with yours truly. It is guaranteed to help you feel calmer in mind and body. And if it does not, I will happily offer a full refund, no questions asked. Sign up here.
Hear what one recent student of the challenge had to say:
“What I discovered was a really comprehensive plan, chock full of tools to help get there. There was a daily yoga sequence that was so gentle anyone could do it, which I truly learned to appreciate. As a teacher, Lauren’s cues throughout were on point for me. She has an overarching peacefulness about her that just feels very honest and genuine. The program is aptly called a “challenge” because there is (at least for me) a real challenge in showing up for yourself consistently for 21 days, even for 20 minutes a day. Today I’m not only calmer, but also feeling stronger and more in-tune with myself. Great experience, totally worth it.”–Phuong S.
Questions about the Challenge?
Shoot me an email at: Lauren@21DayCalmYourMindChallenge.com
Yoga for the Disenchanted 