This 4th of July weekend I am reminded of how much my yoga practice truly means to me.
I walked into my first yoga class almost 21 years ago. I had no idea how important this practice would be to me over the years. It has kept me grounded and reminded me that no matter what else is going on in my life, “in this moment, all is well.”
On July 4th, 2004, I learned I was losing the baby I had carried for 32 weeks. We knew it was a challenging pregnancy, with slim chance of a “viable outcome” yet I held out for a miracle that my little boy would be born alive. Throughout my pregnancy my yoga practice kept me grounded and focused, even when pain and fear was almost too much to take. I delivered my baby boy, held him and loved him. He looked like my husband. I had a few hours to memorize every little wrinkle on his skin and etch them in my mind to last a lifetime.
A year and a half later I gave birth to a healthy baby girl. She is my miracle. I practiced yoga throughout my pregnancy and went back to teaching 6 weeks after she was born.
A few weeks later, my husband was diagnosed with cancer. He had his first round of chemo was on 4th of July weekend. I still remember watching the fireworks from his hospital room window at the Cleveland Clinic with my baby girl. Between running back home to create macrobiotic meals for him, taking care of our daughter and sleeping a few hours here and there, it was a time of getting through it, one breath at a time. I didn’t know what the outcome would be, but I did know, “in this moment, all is well.” My drishti, or focus, was on savoring each moment because I didn’t know how many we would have.
Thankfully we have had many beautiful moments since the cancer crisis. My yoga practice has been there every step of the way. To help me get through the tough times and stay present to fully appreciate the good ones.
My yoga practice gives me freedom. Freedom from the fear, freedom from the “what ifs”. Freedom to author a new story out of difficult circumstances. Freedom to dream and freedom to give it a try. Even if I don’t know how it will work out because, “in this moment, all is well.”
Hopefully you had a chance to find your way to your yoga mat this weekend and were able to experience a tiny bit of personal freedom.
I am blessed to live in the USA and for all of the freedom we have. I am grateful that I can practice yoga and be free from persecution.
Okay, heading out for the last few fireworks on this rainy night… “all is well.”
XOXO