*Quote stolen but happily attributed to Devananda- Dee- one of my beautiful yogis- one of my courageous guides- one of my friends.
For the past twenty six days I have watched the sun come up into the trees at a remote retreat on the Coromanel Peninsula on New Zealands North Island- livening and awakening the earth and my soul. I have listened to birds squawk themselves (and myself) into wakefulness. I have witnessed my breath streaming out in front of me in a frigid tent in the dark before dawn, lit by candles and lanterns and love.
As I practiced my yoga this morning, I was filled with such gratefulness for this place, this land, these people who fill it, and the experience I have given myself. New Zealand itself is a land of land. It is vast and alive and I can't help but be filled by sweet longing for liveliness when I am here. The earth is infectious. It seeps into every bit of the culture and like tea, steeps into the soul, staining it with ruddy naturalism and prehistoric earthiness. It is without equal, this quality of LIFE.
How could I not want to live?
For twenty five days I lived yoga. I learned yoga. I learned how to embrace what it is and make my life richer for it. And learned how to teach it- to give this gift of yoga to others. To have gifted myself not only this course, but this journey, saved me. The distinct combination of this place and this practice literally saved my life. Because it reminded me of what there is to live for- the bigger picture, the infinite expanse of possibility that is really only possible if I am still breathing. The breath is everything.
How could I not want to live?
More to come, Friends. But my advice as of right now is if you don't feel like doing yoga- at least book a ticket to New Zealand.
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