It's here...

As the sun sets,
so must another summer
(Mexico '10)

Well, dear readers, the first day of school is here.  I was up at a very unreasonable hour, and decided to open my day with some sun salutations that turned into some chest-openers that eventually wound up being a challenging Vasisthasana.  I feel great, and figured I'd take a quick moment to blog before the kids wake up and I have to start yelling at them to get clothes on and out the door.

This is a transitional day for most people I know - the day you send your children back to school, or the day you, yourself, head back to work.  You see, most people I know are parents of young children and/or teachers.  This is a time of parinama, or change.  Various people look forward to it for various reasons.  Some parents count down the hours because their kids have been driving them nuts (especially when the day before school starts is overcast and not exactly ripe for playing outside of the house!): summer is over, and it's time to get back to a routine.  But when you think about it, perhaps the frustration everyone is feeling at the end of summer is a manifestation of the anticipation of change.

Parinama can be stressful for a lot of people.  You're switching gears, you don't know what to expect as the change happens, you're a little unsure, even fearful.  It may take some people longer than others to adjust to this change, and depending on how negatively you and your system are affected by the changes taking place, you may feel like you're suffering.

By quieting your mind and trying to look at things more clearly, you may be able to ease that suffering, and that's where yoga comes in.  My few moments on the mat this morning (hardwood floor, actually - my mat was downstairs and I wasn't coordinated enough to stumble downstairs in the dark to get it) really helped to not only set my intention for the day, but helped me to connect with the inner "me".  Perhaps this will help me feel centered and grounded at I approach this day of Parinama, perhaps it will only last long enough for me to get my kids off to school.  That is what yoga practice is all about.  You keep returning to it, practicing, until you get it right.  You may never get it right - in fact, you will always face parinama, sure as the seasons change, so there is always a need to practice.

September is National Yoga Month, so what better time to start your practice - even if only to help ready you for all that change that's fast approaching!  See you on the mat! (oh, and ps - it's exactly ONE WEEK before I start my teacher training program.  soexcited!)

"Prevent the suffering that is yet to come" - Patanjali's Yoga Sutra II.16