Be kind

Be kind to yourself when you practice yoga.

Go slowly, especially in the beginning, and listen to your body. It knows what it can do. If it says "stop," then stop. Don't push it. Yoga is not a competitive sport. If you push too hard, you probably won't enjoy it, and you may hurt yourself. I've pushed too hard and pulled something before, and it kind of sucked. Whenever possible, work with a teacher, and use books, videos and websites to supplement your classroom instruction. Most of all, stick with it. If you practice, you will improve. And you will feel better.

These last few months rotating between yoga and cardio have made me more flexible, stronger and simply feel better. Except of course when the voices in my head are going on and on about nothing, but that's par for the course of my winters on an island.

But I have come so far in practice; I can sit in pigeon and drop my forehead to my foot with ease. I can hold side plank for 1 minute, and a back bend for twice as long. My camel pose isn't necessarily a pretty one, but it's mine and I can do it.

Now, if I could just modify my running from herd of elephants to quiet gazelle...