Ahimsa

While I have not made as much progress on knitting projects as I might like, I have spent the last few weeks working at the discipline of staying present. I have been taking the microscope to my life and looking at what I do and don't do with the hopes of forging a path that feeds my soul and keeps me feeling creative and vibrant. I started this blog on the high from leading my first ever yoga class. The next day I was reading Iyengar's classic, Light on Yoga, and I came to the part that mentions the need to keep a vegetarian diet if one is to be a yogi. So without hesitation or evaluation I committed to upholding the principle of ahimsa (non-harm) and omitting meat from my diet. It has been shockingly effortless considering I previously ate nothing but chicken, turkey, fruit, vegetables, and rice.

What I love about the experience of keeping this diet is that I'm doing it from a place of commitment. Rather than saying "I can't eat meat any longer" I think of it in terms of "I'm choosing to live in alignment with ahimsa." Perhaps this is a subtle distinction, but it's been a really inspiring decision for me.

So tomorrow morning I get to go to the Providence Farmers Market. I'll be stocking up on whatever delicious and fresh produce I can find. And of course I'll have to try some of the local ice cream that my friends are making. Then, on Sunday morning, I'll be on the yoga mat in an Anusara class that I recently heard about. What a great weekend to look forward to!

Namaste

Joie de Vivre

Welcome to YogaKnits! If there are two things that I credit with giving me joy and fulfillment in life, it is these two practices. I started practicing yoga nearly 11 years ago and have been knitting for 8. While I may take breaks from the mat or the needles, I will always consider myself a yogi and a knitter. They are integral to my identity and have helped me grow and stretch myself beyond what I ever thought possible.

Today I was invited to act as a yoga teacher by happenstance - I had an unexpected free day, went to yoga, and no instructor arrived! I'm sure I wasn't spectacular, but all the words of my own mentors began flowing into my consciousness and I shared my practice with the nine other bodies in the room. I felt wonderful while I gave a voice to my movements in a way that empowered others to have their own yogic experience. In our Savasana I was beaming from ear to ear and felt a glow of selflessness that is unmatched by anything from my past. I understood how giving my support and energy to other people is the source of the richest rewards. So I ended our practice with the intention of expressing my sincere and utmost gratitude to these people for allowing me to teach and allowing me to participate in this part of their lives.

I'm spurred to action! My intention is to continue to explore my life as a yogi and knitter. As I sign off here today I'll be researching ways to get my yoga teachers certification with the intention of being a contribution to the physical and spiritual health of all other sentient beings. And I invite you to be part of the journey, part of the conversation, and part of the work to make our world a healthy place for everyone to enjoy.

Namaste