Yoga Journal Blogs

Yoga with Russell Simmons, and More

2011-11-30T18:35:26Z

How much would you pay to practice yoga with Jivamukti-vegan-multimedia mogul Russell Simmons? For $850 you can vinyasa alongside NYC's hippest yogin and Occupy Wall Street supporter, and help preserve Tibetan culture at the same time. Simmons is just one of many celebs and organizations that have thrown their support behind the annual Tibet House US online auction. Other items up for bid include a walk-on role in David O. Russell's next film, a dinner party prepared by Eric Ripert, a daylong flight on your own private jet, internships at magazine like Rolling Stone and Us Weekly, plus exotic vacations galore.

But it's not just jet-setters supporting the Dalai Lama's non-profit education institute: There's a Jivamukti Yoga Enlightenment Starter Kit for Him and Her ($850), and a phone consultation with SexyCrazyCancer inspiration Kris Carr ($400), two passes to the Yoga Journal's New York Conference ($350), photos, art, jewelry, and loads of other options. The auction runs through Dec. 13.

Rapper's Yoga Video

2011-11-29T16:29:15Z

DJ Dave and the crew from Fog and Smog films (makers of the very clever "Whole Foods Parking Lot" video) are back, taking on yoga--and on the make for yoginis--with "Yoga Girl." We spot Vinnie Marino and DJ Drez. Who else makes a cameo?

Lululemon's CEO of the Year

2011-11-28T20:50:35Z

Canada's Globe and Mail Report on Business magazine has named Lululemon Athletica's Christine Day CEO of the year. This news comes after the Vancouver-based company was criticized in the media for its new "Who is John Galt?" shopping bag (a reference to the Ayn Rand novel Atlas Shrugged).

Day, who came from Starbucks and has served as Lulu's CEO since 2008, has overseen tremendous growth during her tenure. "Lululemon saw its stock climb to almost $60 this fall, up over 280% from when Day joined the company, and a whopping 250% gain year over year," according to the article.

Day points to the company's stated values as a driving factor in that growth. "Investing in your health will pay big dividends for individuals and society," she told the magazine, "elevating the world from mediocrity to greatness."

Of course, the anti-mediocrity sentiment led to Lululemon's controversial use of the Rand quote. "I believe in a culture of personal accountability and not compromising your values," Day said. "Atlas Shrugged is both about not accepting mediocrity and being personally accountable for the life you are creating."

But Lululemon has always used inspirational (or what the magazine calls "communitarian") messages for their logos, such as, "The pursuit of happiness is the source of unhappiness" and "Friends are more important than money." It's this selling of ideals, and not just yoga pants, analysts say, that has fueled the company's enormous success.

"Compared to more price-driven products, Lululemon apparel gives its customers the feeling that they're purchasing a lot more than mere 'value,'" the article states. "Buy a Cabin Long Sleeve T-shirt and you're involved in bettering yourself. Pick up one of those cute Lucky Luon headbands and you're joining a community of like-minded people. ... It's a thing of virtue. Budget in other spending categories if you must, the brand seems to whisper, but don't stop taking care of your body and building a better society."

Headstands and Snowshoes

2011-11-28T16:21:27Z

A beautiful thing about yoga practice is that the asanas teach us deeper lessons. It's not (just) about the thrill of the pose, but what the process of learning how to enter and sustain that pose teaches us.

For years, as a beginning yoga student, I could not manage to get up into a headstand. I dreaded the moment in class when our teacher would ask us to put our mats against the wall and practice the pose.

Headstand seemed impossible, and -- even though I knew this was not a yogic attitude -- I felt like a failure.

Maybe in another lifetime, I thought to myself.

But something in me wouldn't let me give up. I attended headstand workshops. I asked my teacher to give me pointers. I worked on poses which she said would prepare my body for inversions.

Years passed.

Then, one day, I came up into a headstand.

What once seemed impossible--unimaginable, even--was now possible. Over the years, I worked on my timing, adding 30 second here, a minute there. I gingerly moved my mat away from the wall and came into headstand in the middle of the room. I worked my way up to a five-minute hold, and even practiced variations.

And then, after having a baby (and a C-section) I started all over again. Getting up into the pose, holding the pose, attempting to move away from the wall.

I thought about my long journey with headstand last weekend when Neil and I took Lucien to a local mountain for our first snowshoe of the season. We didn't know what to expect. Last winter, Neil had carried Lucien on his back up the trail. Would this be the year Lucien walked in his snow shoes, even part of the way, up to the lodge where we'd break for lunch and hot chocolate?

I tried not to have too many expectations. We brought Lucien's snowshoes, but also packed his ergo carrier (an amazing baby backpack which can hold even an almost four year old). To my deep amazement, Lucien--a child who loves to be carried--walked the entire trail from the base of the Nordic area up to the lodge. ALL. BY. HIMSELF.

This was the longest walk he'd ever taken. Three times as long as the 15-minute walk to preschool. In snowshoes!

"I walked all the way up the mountain," he said, beaming and surprised and amazed and proud. You could see on his face how deeply satisfied and accomplished this trek through the snow had made him feel.

For Lucien, this was a life-altering breakthrough. In a small but significant way, the walk up the mountain changed him.

Just like me and my headstands.

Jessica Berger Gross is the author of enLIGHTened: How I Lost 40 Pounds with a Yoga Mat, Fresh Pineapples, and a Beagle Pointer (Skyhorse). She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband and three-year-old son. "Like" her author page on Facebook. Follow her on Twitter @jbergergross. Visit her at www.jessicabergergross.com.

Padmasana in Sirsasana

2011-11-28T09:13:36Z

Some people like a quiet room with no distractions to get some serious thinking done. I'm pretty sure some of my finest epiphanies have come from Tripod Lotus. I know, call me crazy, but there is a sense of strength and security that evolves from being in this pose. Lotus is such a compact pose for the hips. It's neatly tight up--it offers a sense of security while you can't help but feel strong standing on your head supporting your own body weight. Practicing this pose reminds me that I can be strong and secure--that practicing poses outside of my comfort zone frees me from fear and that the more energy I give to my strength the more powerful I make myself. I wish the same for you in this challenge pose. Make sure you have a good grip on Tripod Headstand and Lotus before you decided to marry the two together here.

Step 1:

If you're comfortable with your balance, set yourself up into Tripod Headstand in the middle of the room, or otherwise about 8 inches away from the wall. Every few breaths remind yourself to keep the elbows in over the wrists and the shoulders lifting up away from the ears. These two actions will keep the cervical spine safe and the shoulders supported. Once you're in full Headstand, keep the left leg straight and externally rotate the right leg from the hip socket. This means the heel spins in and the toes spin out. Bend your right knee and drag the sole of the foot down the inner left leg until you land below your left inner kneecap. Aim to get the sole of your right food to the inner left thigh, like in Tree Pose. Keep the front ribs in (this will avoid the backbend fall-out) and tailbone lifting.

Step 2:

From your Tree, slide the right foot over the left quad so the heel of your right foot is below the left knee. Wiggle the right ankle to slowly climb the foot down away from the knee cap towards the hip. This will be a very loose version of Half Lotus. Don't worry about achieving a full Half Lotus here, the tightening will come later! Just do a "lazy" version of the rotation for now!

Step 3:

It's time to chop! Keep your right leg in the Half Lotus, then simply bend your left knee. The foot will land behind your Lotus leg. Continue this chopping action--lightly! Bend the left knee and use the chop to get the heel closer and closer to the left shin. The hips will continue to open and the knees will travel closer toward the ground (slight pitch in the lower back, just a touch!) until the chopping heel of your left leg reaches the right shin. Once the heel gets to the shin, it's time to snuggle.

Step 4:

Once your left heel makes contact with the right shin, wiggle the ankle until the heel slips in front of the right shin. You'll be in an extremely loose Lotus. Time to snuggle! Wiggle both ankles leading with your heels. The right heel will wiggle towards the left hip and vice versa. Continue this snuggle action until you can't tighten your Lotus any further. Descend your knees until the Lotus is parallel to the ground. Keep the belly in, shoulders lifting, and elbows over the heels of your hands. Keep your feet flexed (this protects the knees) and your toes wrapping around the thigh as if they were trying to hold on. Hold for 8 breaths then reverse your wiggle to unleash the Lotus. Lower into Child's Pose and rest.

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women's Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam's Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale's The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

Respecting My Vegan Choices

2011-11-23T17:48:47Z

I'm a vegan, and the holiday months have, in the past, been a time of guilt and anxiety for me. I became a vegan 14 years ago, and nearly every year since, I have been judged and often ostracized by family and friends for not eating meat and dairy-laden desserts. It took nearly 10 years for my family to come around and finally accept that this is who I am, and that I can't be guilted into going against my beliefs.   

Often at holiday dinners I would eat an Amy's frozen vegan TV dinner while my family members feasted on turkey, gravy, stuffing, and pies. I wouldn't feel thankful and often felt ashamed of who I am and uncomfortable sitting at a table surrounded by dead animals and dairy.   

Over the past four years, though, whoever is hosting the holiday meal will usually prepare something vegan for me so I won't feel left out. I really appreciate these efforts to include me; they make me feel loved and accepted.

But this year, in addition to my family meal, I'm throwing a holiday party myself with a vegan menu. Despite mainstream doubts, vegan holiday cooking doesn't have to be expensive, time consuming or bland.   I'm not a big fan of vegan cooking that tries to imitate meat dishes. Tofurky, to me, tastes spongy, bland, oily, and not enjoyable. My vegan friends and I love cooking that emphasizes seasonal, organic vegetables. Preparing dishes that are savory, colorful, textured, and easy is key. Sautéed garlic Brussels sprouts, mashed Yukon and sweet potatoes, and wild mushroom casserole are holiday favorites of ours.

Seasonal veggie dishes are often healthier than traditional holiday plates, because vegetables don't leave me feeling tired, sick, and guilty. Every holiday season I hear people talk about "breaking" their diet or ruining their health due to these holiday feasts. But I never feel guilty after a vegan meal, in fact, I feel like I'm taking care of myself.

  I'm sure many people have special diet restrictions and feel anxious and guilty over the holidays when family and friends expect traditional behavior of eating meat and sweets, and being overindulgent. I think everyone could try to be more understanding of others, since this is the time of year for compassion. We should all make time to take care of ourselves during this stressful season, without worrying over how others will judge us.

Lululemon's Controversial Position

2011-11-22T17:16:43Z

The Canadian based clothing company Lululemon Athletica has never shied away from controversy. Its latest attention-grabbing story centers on the company's decision to reference a character from a book by Ayn Rand -- a decision that has left some yogis out in the cold. The oblique reference, "Who is John Galt?" appears on Lululemon shopping bags. According to its website:

You might be wondering why a company that makes yoga clothing has chosen a legendary literary character's name to adorn the side of our bags. lululemon's founder, Chip Wilson, first read this book when he was eighteen years old working away from home. Only later, looking back, did he realize the impact the book's ideology had on his quest to elevate the world from mediocrity to greatness (it is not coincidental that this is lululemon's company vision).

But some more literary yogis don't agree. Not only is Rand is a conservative hero, but the ideology of John Galt is often thought to embody selfishness and greed, not exactly in line with yoga's teachings.

Buzz asked Lululemon to comment on the John Galt references:

"Lululemon is continually innovating and creating new designs for our shoppers. . . We include these statements on our shoppers to create conversation among our guests. We apologize if our guests find this statement offensive; our intent was simply to initiate conversation, not to offend!"

Read more from the company about why it chose to feature John Galt here or read NPR's coverage of the controversy.

5 Ways to Express Gratitude through Yoga

2011-11-22T16:17:40Z

There's nothing like a great yoga class to help you remember and appreciate the many blessings in your life. I often find myself on the commute home from a particularly amazing class thinking something along the lines of: "I really love breathing!" I realize that this probably seems ridiculous to someone who hasn't experienced this feeling, but I am incredibly grateful for those moments that I really appreciate those simple things that I usually take for granted.

Of course, this time of year gratitude is on everyone's mind. We think about how lucky we are to have our families, friends, homes, food to eat, and all the other things that make our lives richer. Expressing that gratitude is healing--and a yoga mat is the perfect place to reflect on and express those feelings.

Here are 5 ways to express gratitude through yoga.

1. Let your intention be to appreciate every moment. Savor the breath in your lungs, the air on your skin, and the stretching sensation in your hamstrings.

2. Make your movements an offering. I remember how thankful I am whenever my hands are pressed together at my heart in Anjali Mudra and when I come to standing at the end of a Sun Salute.

3. Count your blessings instead of your breaths. It's nearly impossible to do this for an entire practice session, but I love to spend one long held pose (Pigeon is a good one) thinking of one thing I'm grateful for with each breath.

4. Focus on the positive. It's easy to get frazzled by what you perceive as shortcomings on the mat--maybe you're not as flexible as you used to be or an injury is inhibiting movement. Make a commitment to use your yoga practice to observe all the amazing things you CAN do instead and gratitude will spill over into other areas of your life as well.

5. Never skip Savasana. Nothing makes me thankful like a nice, long Corpse Pose after an intense yoga class. All the gratitude meditations in the world can't match the experience that comes when tired muscles finally get to melt into the floor. That's gratitude at its best.

How does yoga help you express your gratitude?

Squash Lasagna: A New Holiday Tradition?

2011-11-22T10:02:43Z

Thanksgiving is an all American holiday and a big day for most of us, but for some of us, it can often present a dilemma. If you're a vegetarian, this may be the one day of the year when your resolve weakens and memories of turkey and all the trimmings dance like sugarplums through your head. Maybe you tell yourself you'll just have a nice salad and some sweet potatoes while other, less resolute family members down the gobbler.

Maybe you've been thinking of trying your hand with a nut-loaf-and-sage-dressing recipe you've been saving. (I've actually had some very good ones, but it takes a dedicated cook to stick with it.) But just in case you're at loose ends about it all, why not consider lasagna?

As a child growing up in a community of Italian and Portuguese Americans, lasagne was always on the table for special celebrations. This included both Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. While Mexican neighbors made their ritual Christmas tamales, we went to work in the kitchen on the lasagna.

So in deference to turkeys everywhere, why not consider a vegetarian lasagna for Thanksgiving? A great little family owned Italian restaurant in my neighborhood offers "cappelacci di zucca" or pasta filled with a winter squash stuffing, and below I've adapted that recipe for a delicious squash lasagna that I'll be serving at my family meal.

If you have a pasta shop nearby, think about getting fresh lasagna noodles (or making your own!) If you're just not that ambitious, look for a good quality domestic or imported dried pasta for your Thanksgiving dinner. You'll need enough for 3 or 4 layers of noodles.

For the squash filling:
1 medium butternut squash
2 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt to taste
½ cup chopped walnuts

For the ricotta filling: (see vegan version notation below)

1 pound ricotta cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan, mozzarella, or a mixture of the two

For the sauce:

About 4 cups crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce

To make the squash filling, cut the squash in half and lay each half face down on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil or a silicone sheet. Bake at 350° for about an hour or until you can easily stick a fork into the squash through its skin.

Allow the squash to cool until you can easily pick it up, then spoon its contents into a bowl or food processor and add the spices and salt. (Be generous with the salt!) Mix thoroughly, then fold in the walnuts.

To make the cheese filling, just mix all of the cheeses together and add the freshly grated nutmeg. Add salt or pepper if desired.

To assemble, spread some tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9"x13" casserole, then cover with one layer of noodles. Alternate tablespoons of squash mixture with tablespoons of ricotta cheese mixture until the first noodle layer is dotted all over with plenty of filling. Then sprinkle the layer with about half a cup of tomato sauce. Add another layer of noodles. Repeat the process until you have about three or four layers of filling and noodles, then pour any remaining tomato sauce over the top of the casserole.

Bake the casserole in a preheated 325° oven until top begins to brown, about 35 minutes. To serve, you can sprinkle the dish with more chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan and mozzarella. Or not.

Note for vegans: If you'd like to make a vegan version of the dish, leave out the ricotta mixture and double the squash mixture. And if you are forgoeing the pasta (contains eggs, after all), then why not experiment with thinly sliced eggplant or even layers of spinach in place of the noodles? Very colorful and very nutritious.

Oh, and in behalf of the world's turkey population and myself, have a great Thanksgiving!

Train Your Focus, part II

2011-11-21T18:36:00Z

We've looked at pratyahara, the withdrawal of the senses to focus on the internal experience (read the post here). The next step for developing focus is learning to concentrate with single-pointed attention (dharana). One way to develop this skill is with drishti, the direction of your gaze. By targeting your gaze toward an object, you anchor your mind, preventing the drifting back and forth that characterizes much mental activity over the day. With your gaze and mind completely focused on one object, you sharpen your mental skills.

You may have used drishti in balance poses on your mat, riveting your gaze to an unmoving object to gain steadiness. If you have practiced Ashtanga Yoga, you'll be familiar with the directions for focus in each of the poses. Drishti is an important tool in stilling the fluctuations of the mind. When the eyes cast about, it's tough for the mind to be still. Resting the gaze on one point enables us to slow down our minds for presence on the mat.

You can also use drishti to develop focus in your active life.

Running Running over trails, you must set your gaze a few feet ahead of you, to keep foot placement stable. (The same anticipatory forward gaze applies in skiing.) On the track, where you don't need to worry about foot placement, you might link your gaze to the runner in front of you, or to the finish line.

Cycling Focus your gaze tochoose a good line. Your bike will go where you look, don't focus on obstacles like potholes but instead look forward and out of turns and traffic.

Swimming Pool swimmers know drishti well, staring at the line on the bottom of the lane for hours each week. Focus is also important in open-water swimming, where cloudy water can limit your gaze, and where your sighting breaths require the skill to take a quick glance at an object, then keep your mind's eye focused on it to ensure you are swimming the most direct line.

Climbing Use drishti to choose a good route. Your gaze can serve to support your anchor to the wall. Newbies: don't look down!

Ball sports In ball sports, you focus your gaze on the ball as you receive it--and where you want it to go as you release it. When setting up a free throw, for example, your gaze is focused on just where you want to place the ball, to the exclusion of everything else (no matter how the opposing fans act behind the basket!). In tennis, you watch the ball as it goes over the net and as it comes back.

On the mat, the trail, the field, or the court, when your gaze or attention wander, gently bring them back into focus. Sharpen your ability to focus exclusively where you need to, and you'll have learned to control your mind in ways that can improve both your sport and your yoga experience.

Sage Rountree is a yoga teacher, endurance sports coach and athlete, and author of books including The Athlete's Guide to Yoga and The Athlete's Guide to Recovery. She teaches workshops on yoga for athletes nationwide and online at YogaVibes. Find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Mask and Meditate

2011-11-21T17:59:44Z

The other morning I was up to my usual pre-meditation and yoga morning routine--brushing my teeth, doing neti pot, washing my face--when I started into a semi-obsessive chain of seemingly superficial monkey mind thoughts.

I really need a facial. It's been almost two years. I don't have time for a facial. I don't have the money for a facial. Are facials really necessary anyway?

All this thinking was getting in the way of my yoga time.

I reached into my bathroom drawer and pulled out a sample of a facial mask I'd had for months but hadn't made the time to use.

I'd really like to give myself this mask. But it's a weekday and I must get downstairs soon. And I still need to meditate and practice yoga.

Believe me, I realize how small this concern sounds, but my mind simply would not get off the topic and on to more important things. Meanwhile, my mat was waiting for me.

That's when I noticed that the recommended time for the facial mask--10 minutes--happened to be the exact amount of time I put aside for meditation.

Done!

I applied the mask and took a seat on my meditation bolster. Ten minutes later, my pores were clean and my mind was quiet.

A small thing? Yes. But those 10 minutes of cleansing inside and out made me feel surprisingly taken care of and ready to take on the day. Later that same day, I opened up my copy of B.K.S. Iyengar's Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

"Although he recognizes the body is perishable, the sadhaka does not regard it with disgust or distaste, but keeps it clean and pure out of respect for the dweller, purusa, within. To that extent, he regards the body as a temple."

Hmm, I thought, as I read. Perhaps this urge was not so superficial after all.

Kirtan Chorus

2011-11-21T16:28:13Z

There are lots of things to love about the practice of kirtan. It's a chance to practice devotion, experience a meditative trance, or even explore your connection with the world and a higher power. For some people, one of the most alluring aspects of kirtan is the opportunity to connect your voice with the voices of others--to really experience being a part of a community.

This is exactly what Kirtan Central founder Daniel Tucker had in mind when he asked people from the kirtan community to submit videos of themselves singing the Krishna Das Classic "Ma Durga."

"As I pored over the videos, two things became evident: first, these people LOVE this song! Whether's it's love of Krishna Das, love of kirtan, love of Durga, love of singing, love of God... what's obvious is the love, joy, and tenderness captured in each video clip," wrote Tucker in a blog post. "And second: how deeply we crave to be part of something larger than ourselves! There was so much excitement to be part of the "choir," and I believe that's one of the places kirtan is healing us."

He accepted submissions from 108 people from around the world and the result is this awe inspiring video.

Do you practice kirtan as a way to connect with your community? What are other ways you connect?

The Jerry Lewis of Yoga?

2011-11-18T18:49:03Z

We know that yogis are a passionate bunch, whether its going to extreme lengths to secure time on their mats or in fighting for a cause they believe in. Now one yogi is putting his own endurance to the test to keep a dream alive.

Will Baxter, a financial-advisor-turned-social-entrepreneurial-yogin, is trying to launch a yoga-bag company that will also help native Guatemalan women weavers, is one-day into his personal telethon (of the YouTube variety) to walk nonstop on a treadmill until the funds needed to launch the company are raised or until the campaign ends Nov. 22.

I AM, Baxter's sustainable-business-model idea, will sell naturally dyed yoga bags and straps woven by the indigenous Mayan women of the country, sharing 50 percent of the net profit directly with their communities. The seed money for the company will come through KickStarter, the funding platform for creative endeavors. Baxter needs to raise close to $25,000 more or the project's $45,000 start-up costs before the fundraising period ends next week.

Not unlike brands like Jade, a backer of I AM, Baxter hopes to pair a smart business idea with sustainability and social responsibility. Sounds like yoga off the mat to us.

The Jerry Lewis of Yoga?

2011-11-18T18:49:03Z

We know that yogis are a passionate bunch, whether it's going to extreme lengths to secure time on their mats or in fighting for a cause they believe in. Now one yogi is putting his own endurance to the test to keep a dream alive.

Will Baxter, a financial-advisor-turned-yogin-social-entrepreneur who is trying to launch a yoga-bag company that will also help native Guatemalan women weavers, is one-day into his personal telethon (of the YouTube variety) to walk nonstop on a treadmill until the funds needed to launch the company are raised or until the campaign ends Nov. 22.

I AM, Baxter's sustainable-business-model idea, will sell naturally dyed yoga bags and straps woven by the indigenous Mayan women of the country, sharing 50 percent of the net profit directly with their communities. The seed money for the company will come through KickStarter, the funding platform for creative endeavors. Baxter needs to raise close to $25,000 more of the project's goal of $45,000 before the fundraising period ends next week.

Not unlike brands like Jade, a backer of I AM, Baxter appears to be the next generation of yogis who hope to pair a business idea with sustainability and social responsibility. A new form of yoga off the mat?

Finding Lessons in Loss

2011-11-18T17:31:28Z

This past year I've lost friendships as result of a death, a disagreement, or just simply due to falling out of touch. I had a gathering of friends at my apartment last week, and as I looked around the room, I realized every person there had touched my life in some significant way. Some of them I hadn't seen in a long time because our busy schedules.

Having this room full of friends got me thinking about the purpose of the people who come and go in my life, and how to deal with the loss of a friendship, or of any relationship.

The most significant loss in my life was my father's sudden death over three years ago. I'm still processing it, but he left me with the wisdom to appreciate the loved ones in my life. And it's because of him that I found yoga; he practiced every day. I remember him doing these hilarious poses in our living room as I ate my cereal before school, poses that I now know as Downward-Facing Dog and Warrior ll.

Six months after my father's death, I was still struggling with the grief. One night I grabbed his yoga mat and went to a class. Afterward, I felt somewhat at peace for the first time since he had passed. Since then, yoga has become a safe place for me to tune out my worries and conflicts and just focus on the present moment and being grateful for my life.

Now, like my father, I practice yoga every morning. My typical intention is to focus on someone in my life and send them love and warm thoughts. Sometimes, if I'm having a disagreement with a friend, I will make my intention to end negative thoughts and send them positive ones. This doesn't stop the conflict, but it makes me feel calmer and less agitated.

But relationships do sometimes end. And when they do, I struggle with letting go. I'm working on accepting these losses as a gain in knowledge; to realize that everyone who comes into my life, no matter how long, teaches me something.

In that thinking, even my last bad romantic breakup had its positives, by teaching me what to watch out for when I do date again, and how to be better in relationships.

I'm trying to focus on the lesson, the experience shared, rather than the endings. Whether it's a loss as devastating as losing my dad, or as uncomfortable as realizing that a friendship has run its course, I'm grateful for all the relationships in my life, for helping to shape me to be who I am.