The 'a-ha!' moment. Or, why yoga is kind of amazing.

I've always been a true believer that the universe works its magic in mysterious ways. I wouldn't say I'm new-age crazy, but I have asked the universe for things and it has given them to me, so I can at least say that personally, that crazy stuff works.  I also think that, in times of need, whether we are aware or not, the universe gives us signs or perhaps lessons that'll help us out.

This past weekend's two yoga classes were very, very clear examples of this.

Saturday morning, I went to an early hatha class, which may very well be my new favorite kind of yoga (next to restorative, or as my yogi called it, 'creative naptime').  As I've mentioned before, the instructor is a big fan of having the class ask questions, and trying to relate whatever the answers are to our practice for the day.  I don't remember the question that was asked, but Saturday's class was all about change.

Here is the basic explanation: the only constant, from the time we are born until the time we die, is breathing.  Everything else is changing, and changing constantly.  When you go to bed at night, you are one person, and when you wake up, you are a different person.  You could look at it biologically - your cells are getting older as each second goes past.  You could look at it logically - I was tired last night, I went to sleep, and now I am not tired, therefore, change!  Whether we're aware of it or not, we are always changing, and if we fight the change, if we try to walk against the tide, we're just causing ourselves suffering, and the whole point of yoga (and the meaning of life) is to find and sustain joy.  See the circle here?  I'm not doing a great job of explaining it, but just go with me on this one.

I very much try to take the lessons I learn in yoga and incorporate them on a day to day basis, as they are important and truly have given me a lot of perspective, but sometimes... sometimes it is easy to forget them.  But this lesson I haven't forgotten.  I mean, look!  It's Thursday, and I'm still yammering on about breathing being a constant and I'm a different person today and yada yada yada, right?  Obviously it hit home.

This lesson was brought back up during my Sunday morning vinyasa class, and I wondered if the instructors had some sort of pow-wow where they were like, "here's this week's theme!"  Perhaps.  Either way, keeping that mentality has helped me cope with a lot of things this week, and I'm very grateful for the universe for bringing me this lesson.

What is the best lesson the map has taught you?