#108DaysofYoga

The #108daysofyoga challenge invites the practitioner to evaluable many aspects of the self:

Commitment.

Accountability.

Honesty.

Forgiveness.

Acceptance.

Today officially marks 108 days of my recommitment to my yoga practice. With inspiration taken from my friend Elle Beau, I embarked on a personal challenge to practice some sort of yoga asana or meditation. At the time I began the challenge, Elle had recently completed her first 108 days of practice and since we often inspire one another, I felt inspired to follow in her footsteps.

I realized I had a huge opportunity to immerse myself in the SF yoga community more so than I had in the previous months and a chance to recommit to the practice that inspired my profession, my career and my life! While Elle initially committed to one hour of asana practice led by another teacher everyday, I allowed myself a bit more flexibility in the discipline.

For me, it didn’t matter whether I practiced under the guidance of another teacher, if I practiced a quick online video or if I explored my personal practice. I knew myself and sometimes I just needed to sit in meditation or throw my legs up the wall (viparita karani) or lay in savasana.

And I indeed did it all. I took hot and sweaty vinyasa classes. I refined my postures in alignment focused classes. I explored my passion for movement in empty, expansive rooms all alone.

I completed a 100-hour module of Jason’s Crandell’s Advanced Yoga Teacher Training. Not only did I practice in various studios and clubs around San Francisco, I also practiced in numerous cities that I love: Tahoe, Santa Barbara, Boulder, Vail, Denver & Palm Springs.

I sat in meditation. In my studio apartment. At a winery in Santa Cruz. In the yoga room at SFO.

I laid in savasana and fell asleep numerous times. I chanted. I found my breath.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Breathe.

When I started the challenge, I was in such a good place, full of energy and vibrancy because I was on the tail end of another personal challenge: an entire month of going dry and vegan.

Since January, my relationship with sobriety and veganism has ebbed and flowed. For the most part, I eat clean with a plant based diet but like many people, I like meat and sugar and I do like to imbibe every now and then. To be honest, at times, its excessive. Other times, I stay clear of the vice. I swing the pendulum often. But thankfully yoga always brings me back to balance.

You might be reading this hoping I’ll say something super profound but I’m not sure I will deliver. I’m an idealist but also a realist and while I certainly benefited from this challenge, I also accepted my humanness; understanding the fact that I’m set up to excel but also bound to fail.

So what have I gained from this experience? Well, I’m certainly grateful that I prioritized my practice everyday and sincerely believe that I will keep it up and that it will continue to keep me humble and grounded. If anything, it has inspired me to get more connected with my personal practice and as a teacher of this discipline, that is of the utmost importance.

This rule applies to all of us.

If we are not connected to the self, how can we be in service of another?

Ok yogis, as always, thanks for reading my musings. Off to class #108.

Happy Saturday!

P.S. Why 108? The easiest way that I can explain the significance of 108 is to spell out what each number represents like an acronym: (1) Everything (0) Nothing (8) Infinity.

There are many other significant points so if you want to geek out on that…click here.