What Does It Mean to Be a Yogi?

There are two steps on the spiritual path:

1. Begin.

2. Continue.

This rings true... the more I surrender to the practice, and the more I stick with it, the more yoga changes me for the better.

Recently a lovely friend of mine said, after taking my class, "You're not just a person who practices yoga. You're a yogi. You're actually living yoga in your life."

It meant a lot to me, especially since I often reflect on what this practice really means, and I keep coming back to the moments when I'm able to be more patient and kind with myself and others -- not really the yoga postures.

Yoga reminds me of how powerful it is to give: to offer help to those in need, to say thank you to those who support me, to treat myself and others with kindness and respect.

Yogi Bhajan says it this way: You are here to serve, here to lift, here to grace, here to give hope and action, to give the very deep love of your soul to all those who are in need.

Sometimes we get caught up in doing yoga 'perfectly' or having our poses look good... we forget that what we're really after is love. Love for ourselves. Love for others. Love for the moment, exactly as it is.

Next time you're on your mat, pause for a moment. Put your hand over your heart and notice everything that's happening, right now. Go within, and see what's really fueling your practice.

Both of the shirts in this post were given to me by the generous team at Yoga Outlet. I love that the seva shirt reminds me to give, and that the gold Ganesh shirt reminds me that the obstacles have been cleared out of my way, and that I am walking the path of my dharma. Both are comfortable and fit well, and when I wear them, I invite ease. Thank you, Yoga Outlet team, for helping me dress the part of a true yogi!