Good morning from Tiki, your favorite yoga-dog! I had a very adventurous week, and I hope you can benefit from the lessons I learned in the course of my adventures.

You see, this week my mommy started taking me on a new route on my walks. Along this route, I had to pass a yard with a big, scary Rottweiler. Even though he’s behind a fence and I know in my head that I’m safe, I still find it unnerving to know that I have to pass by and hear all his barking and growling. Just the thought of having to pass his yard started making me feel so nervous and uncomfortable that I began to dread my walks. And let me tell you, living in fear like this is no way for a doggie to live. And it seemed like the more afraid I was, the more that Rottweiler would snarl and growl.

Now I know from watching you in your yoga classes that most of you have experienced something similar. You’re looking forward to your class all day, you get to class and are enjoying the nice stretches, and all of a sudden my mommy makes you do something crazy like a headstand, which pushes you right out of your comfort zone. That pose is like your own personal Rottweiler - you know you’re safe, but it still scares the daylights out of you. This fear might even cause you not to look forward to your yoga as much because of the possibility of having to face your personal Rottweiler, whatever pose that might be.

But it’s important for us all to remember that the Rottweilers are there to make us stronger so that we can face whatever life has to offer with courage and grace. Now you may not have to walk by a scary Rottweiler, but your yoga experience has much the same effect - you’re teaching yourself not to change the route of your walk to avoid the Rottweiler, but instead to face that challenge head-on. And every time you face that challenge, you become a little more comfortable with it, and you realize that it’s not something to be avoided because in order to grow in life, in yoga, and on our walks, we have to get outside that comfort zone. By facing our Rottweilers, we also realize that we’re always safe, no matter what life throws at us.

So this week, when you’re faced with stressful or scary situations, keep in mind that you’re always safe, and that every situation is an opportunity to grow stronger and to gain perspective so that you can move through your life gracefully, courageously, and with complete freedom!

Namaste,
Tiki