This weekend was far better than I imagined it would be. Due to the rain and timing of other events and responsibilities, I did not finish the pallet project—only another day or two, though!—but I did have an enriching and rejuvenating experience at the San Diego Yoga Festival.
Before one of the classes the instructor said "Yoga is not a workout; it's a work-in," and she's absolutely right. I used to think yoga was just a very relaxing way to workout and build lean muscle, and it does offer that, but it is so much more. My only experience with yoga classes was at the climbing gym where I worked in college, Wii Fit yoga, and a free class at a Methodist church, ironically. Naturally, none of these classes involved the meditative and spiritual side of yoga.
While my body is definitely feeling the workout, my mind and heart are feeling the work-in. The meditative side of yoga is about controlling your breath, your mind, and your energy. In the same way that what we eat affects our bodies, either negatively or positively, what we think affects our heart and emotions and our mood.
What thoughts are you feeding on? I won't lie, I binge on bitterness, regret, guilt, self doubt, and a lot of worrying. Beautifully, the goal of yoga and meditation is to let go of all that negative energy so that you can have a clearer perception of yourself and the world around you.
The goal is to become full of light and love and peace. If you can learn to control your breath and truly relax, and control the movements of your body, then you can also learn to control your mind. The purpose of being able to control your thoughts, is so that you can focus on what is good, and pure, and lovely, and just, and all other good things. Be the light, and goodness, and love, and compassion that you wish to see in the world, and it will spread.