There’s a running joke in my family about my appetite. When I was little, and one of the neighborhood parents would take the kids out to Dairy Queen, all of the kids would usually get a cone. Then, I’d step up to order. At 5 years old, and 35 pounds soaking wet, I’d order the peanut buster parfait and a frozen slushee. I’ve always eaten like it’s my last meal, and dessert in particular is a weakness.
No matter how full I am at the end of a big meal, if the server brings about the dessert tray, I suddenly have room. The joke is that I seem to have a separate stomach for dessert. And, I’ve come to realize that I have the same type of room in my life for yoga. No matter how much I’m dragging or reluctant to do my practice in the morning or catch a class after work, once I step onto the mat, I have boundless energy. It seems I have a ‘dessert’ stomach for yoga.
Take this past Wednesday, for example. I teach a Tuesday night aerial class until 8:30, so I don’t get to bed until 10-ish. Then I teach a Wednesday am class at 6:30, and then work my “real job” all day. By Wednesday at 5, I’m starting to feel like all I want to do is crawl into bed. But, I know how awesome I feel after yoga. So, I made it to a 6:00 class, and the moment I step into the studio, I begin to awaken.
When I stake my claim on the floor, and unfurl my mat, I’m even more alive. And when I step onto the mat, my body begins to connect with my practice leaving my brain behind.
This doesn’t mean that I don’t have to give myself a little push sometimes, because I do. I just try to remind myself how amazing I’ll feel after, if I catch myself starting to make excuses why I don’t need to go. This also doesn’t mean that I don’t skip asana every once in a while; everyone needs a break from their regular ‘something’. I just try to hearken back to those periods in my life when I let my practice slip and what that felt like.
Yoga is a part of me, like Laverne is to Shirlely; like day is to night, like dessert is to dinner. Yes, yoga and me make a great pair. And, all without the sugar crash.
Yoga is my passion. Yoga is my dessert. Do you have a dessert stomach for yoga?
Namaste.
– Your Charmed Yogi
Photo credits: The Chocolate Swirl Blog
A Charmed Yogi 