Good day, Steemians!

In order to eat, you have to be hungry. In order to learn, you have to be ignorant. Ignorance is a condition of learning. Pain is a condition of health. Passion is a condition of thought. Death is a condition of life. - Robert Anton Wilson

Yoga is very much about balance. I like it because it "powers up" my body, releasing a flood of chemicals that make me feel good and super charging me with self-generated electricity. It helps me dial down my aggression, anger, and competitiveness, while turning up my compassion, acceptance, and calm.

Life is about duality: if I didn't feel low sometimes, I couldn't appreciate the highs. If I didn't know darkness, how could I recognize light? Nonetheless, wild swings from one to the other are really exhausting - I've been there. Yoga helps me raise my vibration, so as a standard I'm happier and healthier, but it also evens out the natural dip and peak cycle of my moods as well. I don't crash and burn like I used to; when I'm getting down, I remind myself to yoga a little harder. It has pulled me out of some serious shit, and I give thanks that I know such a powerful tool!

That said, I'm still practicing. Sometimes I prefer to tell people to fuck the fuck off, but that's not always appropriate given that I live in community and our success is dependent on each other. I'm still honing my fiery, destructive side; even this can be used for the greater good when wielded correctly. It's a work in progress.

All in all, my Jedi training is going well. Here are photos from my journey to remind myself where I come from, where I'm at, and where I'm going:

This was taken at one of our homeless feeds; it's actually illegal to feed the homeless in our parts, so we take the men with guns and continue our compassion unmolested. Irony is in your perspective; I think it's super eloquent. Yoga comes from a war, after all! One of my favorite quotes from the Bhagavad Gita is "Be one in self-harmony, in yoga, and arise great warrior, arise!"

I made this years ago, but it's still super relevant to me. This is how I feel most of the time, and it's one of my favorite phrases. "Namaste" means I respect and honor the Spirit in you, because it's the same Spirit in me. "Bitches" might be unexpected, unless you know how much I like cussing. I can relate to and honor the angry, hurt, scared, defensive part of someone as much as all their goodness and light. Also, these poses are total body jubilations.

This is how I like to play with others.

Sunshine is my superpower, and yoga helps me shine like a motherfucker.

This is one of my favorite images. Ardhanarishvara is the name of the composite, androgynous deity when Shiva and Shakti combine. Shiva is the masculine, destructive force - he is the form and matter of life. Shakti is the feminine, creative force - she is the energy and power that animates all things. They are inseparable, like wetness in water. Ideally, they are balanced, draw strength from, and fortify each other - that is a goal of my yoga.

^{Unfortunately I don't know the name of this artist; the image has been in my files for a loooong time.}

Yoga is serious training for mental posture, and I'm so grateful that it is part of my life. I can turn to it when I need a lift, and it never fails! When negativity gets overwhelming, it's an absolute blessing to have a tool for bringing things back to balance. I give thanks for yoga, and it is my joy to share my experience with one and all in hopes that everyone everywhere can be happy and free!

💛 Sara!

^{Giving thanks feels great, so I'm going to do it some more:}

^{Thank you to the guides who have taught me so much along my journey. All of my yoga teachers have illuminated the path for me, but none more so than @quinneaker who literally lives and breathes yoga without any "formal" training - it is amazing to witness! Part of his brilliance lies in clarity and his ability to present profound topics in concise, simple forms. He explained terms like "mental posture" in ways I could understand. He has elevated my perspective beyond the best scenario I could imagine on countless occasions! I'm grateful to learn from his stellar life example every day.}
^{@everlove - I couldn't (and wouldn't!) do any of this without you. Thanks for being with me, or for letting me be with you!}
^{Thanks Mom and Dad...you don't think you read this, but whatever. I'm glad to be alive, so thanks for that gift!}

claudialynn