Yoga Pause

For years, yoga has been my anchor. My daily discipline. Six - sometimes seven - times a week, I would show up and roll out my mat - no matter how busy the day was, no matter how my body felt. Rain or shine, in the heat of summer or the depths of winter, I consistently show up for my practice. Yoga was not optional, it was part of me.

And then, two months ago, I stopped.

The pause wasn't intentional - it came after I fell victim to an online scam, and suddenly, the luxury of $200 a month for studio classes was no longer within reach. I told myself I would practice at home. But the truth is, I haven't been able to get on the mat.

The break reveals something I hadn't noticed before: I had been living by the rhythm of the studio schedule. My days were arranged around yoga classes. With that mental schedule grinding to a halt, I find myself with more time, more space, less rushing.

I've noticed something else too. Without the studio, I listen differently to my body. I'm no longer pushing it to match a class rhythm. Instead, there's a quiet yearning for a different kind of movement. One that flows and glides like a dance, guided by breath and instinctual senses. One that is embodied movement with fluidity. A movement that comes out of the body rather than being done to the body.

This new intention is taking root and giving me a sense of liberation. Perhaps my yoga practice is not gone - it is simply shifting. Evolving into something deeper, freer, and more authentic.