Don’t practice yoga to get better at yoga; practice yoga to get better at living.

Don’t practice yoga to get better at yoga; practice yoga to get better at living.

I read this quote and have been deeply touched by it. I’ve had the privilege of working with beginner yogis. It has changed the way I approach teaching. When people start yoga, it can sometimes be discouraging when other people are super flexible and going upside down and it makes newcomers feel like they are “bad” at yoga. And sometimes the people who are advanced in the asanas, poses, of yoga are so intertwined in the postures that they either forget or never tried to connect with the real spirit, mind, body connection that is yoga in the first place.

It’s the best reminder, not just for students but for myself, to know when I step onto my mat that it isn’t only a place to move my body. My mat is a place where I connect with my breath especially when poses are difficult. I find my strength and recognize how to balance strength with softness. I bring my mind to a quiet place where I’m silent yet somehow heard. It’s important to be reminded that the reason yoga exists is not to do those connections when we are on the mat, but to bring the same awareness, gratitude, and soft strength a step off the mat into our lives and communities. Every day, bringing those realizations a step further off the mat until it encompasses not just your own life, but informs the people around you.

Don’t leave your practice on the mat. The mat is just that, practice. The game takes place the moment you step off.