June 21st has always been a special day.
Not only is it my birthday, but since 2014, when the United Nations declared it International Yoga Day, it has become something else entirely. For me, this declaration from the UN was a sort of cosmic validation that I was exactly where I was supposed to be, practicing exactly what I was intended to learn.
For years, I marked the day with yogic discipline. I hosted large gatherings and led community yoga sessions. I offered 108 surya namaskaras. These are sun salutations repeated over and over until the body becomes pure. It was joyful and rigorous and uplifting.
This year is different. Those of you who have been with me through these past few months know a bit about why. And what I can tell you is that this change has really opened my eyes and helped me return to some of the fundamental yogic teachings.
It’s been a reminder that the postures and shapes we make with our bodies — that physical tradition is only a few hundred years old. Yoga itself is ancient, and it was never intended for the body alone.
Yoga is a Union
It’s the union of the I — mind, body, and spirit together as one. The union of the We — our connection to the human beings around us, to shared hopes and even grief. And the union of the Us — that humbling, expanding awareness that we are each a speck in the grand universe and a part of something more.
I, We, Us is a mindfulness framework I have taught and continue to return to again and again. I recently led a meditation for the Healing Circle. It touched upon these three unions — I, We, Us — and felt like something you might like to hear about, too.
So, I hope you’ll settle in, close your eyes if that feels right, and let it wash over you.
When you’re done, I’d genuinely love to know – is this how you want to hear from me? Does video feel right? Reply and tell me. I enjoy reading every comment.
