Hello to all my yogi and yogini friends! I hope you are all having a wonderful 4th of July weekend!

Independence Day is a perfect opportunity to celebrate independence of all kinds: the independence we enjoy in this country, as well as the individual independence we each have that allows us to choose any path that we like in life. Each of us enjoys a freedom that allows us to live in a way that rings true to us, no matter what anyone else has to say about it.

Even I got a chance to enjoy my independence last week! You see, my mommy took me to the dog park so that I could play with the other doggies. But they were wrestling with each other and generally being way too rough - not jumping around and running happy laps the way I like to play. So I asserted my independence and went off on my own to play in my own way, doing a couple downward dogs and leaping around in the grass. Now some of the other doggies barked at me because I chose to be different; I was acting in a way that was unusual and weird to them, and this made them feel uncomfortable. But I knew that I had the freedom to follow my heart and run around in the grass, no matter what those other dogs said, and I found this to be much more enjoyable than if I had rough-housed with them just to fit in.

Now I know you have experienced the same thing from time to time - maybe people even think you're weird for practicing yoga. But you know how great it makes you feel to do yoga because you've chosen to let that healing experience into your life. There is an incredible freedom that comes when you choose to live in a way that's right for you. You realize that your yoga practice makes you feel great, and when those other people catch up to speed, maybe they can enjoy it, too. But in the meantime, the fact that they are making other choices doesn't keep you from enjoying the benefits.

So over this Independence Weekend, remember that being true to yourself, without concern about what others may have to say about it, is true independence. When we follow our hearts, we feel truly empowered and free in any situation, and this is something that no one can ever take away!

Namaste,
Tiki