Mile
stone
This week marks a few milestones.
First, it has been three years since my first post here on the Substack platform. To celebrate, I have reposted my first-ever post below - Your Spiritual Journey Awaits. Thank you, Yogahag Journal subscribers!
Second, a big shoutout goes to Lisa and Dan Kammerer. We three have been meditating together on Zoom every single Sunday morning at 7:30 am for FOUR YEARS. I love you guys!
And finally, my one and only child turns 31 this week. Happy Birthday, Quinton! Read my Substack. Your mother loves you.
Thanks for being here, everyone! See you soon.
Your Spiritual Journey Awaits
The life-enhancing benefits of Yoga
Yoga in all its forms has thoroughly permeated Western culture. Since its explosion in the 1960s, many more Americans now know Yoga as more than just a system of exercises. Mother India has also taught us that it is an ancient science and psychology. Almost 70 years ago we latched on, and like a tenacious bulldog with a rag bone, we are not letting it go.
Today, those of us with a consistent Yoga practice have gone above and beyond a workout regimen into the realm of lifestyle, which gives us expansive choices and benefits within that framework. Beyond the physical practice, we can now look past the attire and props to find the practices of vegetarianism, conservationism, environmentalism, the advocacy of human rights, women’s rights, comprehensive inclusion, and other altruistic endeavors. It is a lifelong journey on the path of Spirit with many hands to hold along the way.
“Gradually but inevitably.” - Krishna Das
Most people come to a Yoga class in search of physical or mental health support. Once they do the work and realize those benefits, they discover so much more than the latest brand of leggings. Community and spirituality envelop the practice from the outset. For example, if a Yoga practice is taught by a classically trained Yoga instructor, the elements of Indian culture inevitably seep in. Practitioners are exposed to the Sanskrit names for the poses, the Indian deities, songs and storytelling, mantra repetition and breathwork. With these elements included beyond the pose-practice, Yoga becomes life-enhancing, affirming, enriching, altering, and much more sustainable.
With more and more work, play, and healthcare options available online, we can choose to stay home and enjoy the benefits of Yoga practice and community. People move away and people travel here and there, but Yoga communities can remain intact thanks to livestreaming platforms like Zoom. We still share real-time, but even when not in the same room, we continue to practice the spiritual acts of breathing, thinking positive thoughts, and creating intentions - together. And you can’t get that from Instagram. Shared experiences occur through the act of continuously showing up for our individual experience while in the presence of a spiritual community. That community then becomes our witness - and we become theirs.
Krishna Das Summer Tour Schedule
Blessings & Love,
Photo Credits: Melanie McLeod | center - Alex, Omaha, NE | bottom - Woodstock, NY
“Shared experiences occur through the act of continuously showing up for our individual experience while in the presence of a spiritual community.” I love this.