Parvati Magazine November 2013 | Page 9

YOGA L ike the trees in my backyard, I have a need for deep-rooted desire for connection. I stand tall and strong for solidarity, connection and joy. I struggle with feeling overwhelm, the exhaustion and fear. I long to find balance and know peace. Over the years I have learned that I can find this on my yoga mat whether I am at home, on a grass field with strangers or a classroom full of friends and acquaintances. I know what it feels like to be trapped by debt, constricted by fear, overwhelmed by inertia or loss. But I also know what it feels like to take steps — small steps, very simple steps, sacred steps — towards creating a peaceful place to allow myself to be open, to receive and listen to what my body has to tell me and to make life simpler if only for that space of time. Taking a look around while in class, all I can think sometimes is this: the roots of she, roots of he, roots of me, all intertwined like a complicated maze under the surface, a surface that seems to fade once we move and breathe together. I define yoga simply ???q?)??????????????????????????????????????????t?)M??????????????????()???????????????????)???e???????????????????????????????????)???????????????????)???????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????)???????????Q???????)????????????????????)????????????????????)????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????)?????????????????]??)?????e???????????)??????????????????????)????????????????????)???????????????????()e??????????????????????????????????)??????????????????)????????????????????)????????????$????????)?????????????????????)???????????????????)??????e???????????)??????????????????)??????????????????9?)?????????????????????????????????????)=??????$???????????????)Q???A????$???????????)??????????????????????)??????????????????)??????????$?????????????)?????????????????????)????????????????????)?????????????????)???)$?????????????????)??????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????)??????????????e?????????)$????????????????)??????????????????()??????A??????????????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????]?????????????M??????????????)?????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????((