YOGA NAMASTACY

On the Blog

HOW YOU THINK

When I began studying under Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, founder of the Ashtanga Vinyasa method, I learned a foundational truth: in traditional yoga, agni — the heat that transforms the body — comes from within. It’s cultivated through rhythmic breathing, unwavering focus, and subtle energetic locks (bandhas) that generate warmth from the inside out.
Even in Mysore, India, where Jois taught, practice traditionally began in the cool, pre-dawn hours. The body’s warmth was earned through movement and breath, not given by the thermostat.

I could see he was seeking a deeper answer — one that made sense beyond the poses. Working at a resort, he witnessed countless western guests who, despite having material abundance, often seemed unhappy, stressed, or in conflict. It was clear he wanted to understand more.
I shared with him that many people believe their “home” is their house or their car — something external. But the only true home we ever have is our body.

    • A house can be lost and replaced.
    • A car can be taken and bought again.
    • But our body? It’s the only true home we are given.
The Space Between…
It doesn’t seem that long ago, that I graduated from college. My four scholarship-funded years at Colorado State University were transforming and as I packed up to move to California, I felt as if I had arrived. Or so I thought.
I recently returned from the East Coast after moving my youngest child into his freshman dorm. At the same time, my 22-year old daughter graduated and moved back home. She got her dream job along with 10-12 hour work days . Both my kids had arrived. Or so they thought.
It took me many years and chapters in my life, to learn that there is no point in life at which I am Done. Of which I have Arrived. There’s no great accomplishment, that won’t be followed by the next great goal, the next great dream. It’s a flowing cycle of beginning and ending, exploring and discovering. I’ve tried to teach my children what my asana practice has taught me, the time spent moving between the poses is just as important as the time spent in the pose. You should embrace both times: the celebratory days of your accomplishments when you’re at the top of the mountain, the messy, character building days when you want to throw in the towel as well as the space and time in between. Along the way, you get to work, rest and play because you can’t wait until you are Done…..
So, to all of us who are experiencing a transitory time in our lives, remember we get to have both, savor both. Enjoy the ebb and flow of the celebratory times, the messy times and the space in-between.
Namaste~

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