It’s Tiki here, and I’d like to thank all my yogi and yogini friends for inspiring me this week!

You see, this week I had my annual check-up at the vet’s office. Normally I dread going, and once I get there I do my best to ward off the vet and his assistant with lots of scary growling and biting. However, this year was different. I thought back to all those yoga classes I’ve watched, and I remembered how yoga teaches us to be happy, even when we’re practicing a challenging pose. I’ve watched you guys practice, and I see how you’ve learned to be content, even when you’re working on a Warrior II or Chaturanga. Yoga teaches you to stay peaceful and content, no matter the circumstance.

So, when we got to the vet’s, I remembered my yogic breathing, and practicing the breathing really calmed me down. Once my mind was calm, I realized that I had a choice – I could go the usual route with the scary growling and the biting, and the whole experience would be a miserable one, or I could keep in mind that this vet visit was keeping me healthy and that it was ultimately for my own good, and this attitude would probably make the visit a little more bearable. So I decided to apply some of my yoga principles, and I chose the latter. I chose not to bite the vet or his assistance, and I only growled a tiny little bit, but only to keep them on their toes! And guess what, it was a much more enjoyable experience for everyone.

I learned a really valuable lesson: life is meant to be enjoyable, and the degree to which we enjoy it depends on our own attitude, not on the circumstances. Practicing yoga and learning to stay happy and have fun, even in the challenging poses, teaches us to be happy and have fun in whatever circumstance we find ourselves. When we look for the best in any situation, we can learn from it and grow from it, the same way we grow stronger by practicing those Warrior poses, and this perspective makes every situation a little more fun.

So no matter what situations come at you this week, remember that you have a choice: you can approach your life by reacting to circumstances, by growling and biting those who annoy you, or you can look at every experience as an opportunity for growth. This will allow you to take a step back and remain peaceful and happy in every situation. Please be sure to send this message along to your friends and family – we don’t want them to growl at you if they have a rough week! And remember that we are meant to be happy and that we can choose to enjoy each and every moment of each and every day, even when we’re at the vet!

Namaste,
Tiki