tree.

I originally wrote a version of this entry a few years ago but like most yoga lessons, it is timeless.

Yoga, at the very heart of the matter, is the practice of beginning again.

Sometimes we get confused and think yoga is the practice of Down Dogs, Chatarungas and Half Moons.

But the truth is that those are just bodily situations that give us analogous conditions to practice breathing in, breathing out, falling over, getting back up, giving up and the rising up. The natural conditions of the human condition.

One of my favorite poses to practice "beginning again" is Tree/Vrksasana.

This standing balancing pose strengthens our legs and our core as well as improves our focus and determination. But tree pose creates the bodily situation of falling over or at the very least, losing our balance. The mind can be found chanting, "I’m falling" and fear moves in..

But there is the superhero, breath, that disrupts the mental banter and steps in to rescue the moment.

The exhale ends and the next inhale whispers "try again, rise up, begin again". Then we recommit to our focus, feeling our foot rooted on the ground, bring the knee into the chest, place the foot on the inside of the inner thigh and begin again.

The beauty of beginning again. Happy Monday, may you join me in beginning again 🌳

Big love,
Tammy