Fortunately, my breathing practice made it second nature for me to slowly inhale and then exhale to a count of eight. Yoga also helped smooth my recovery from childbirth and then served as a link between my old, childless life and my life as a mother. Today, I look forward to my weekly yoga class for many reasons. Physical fitness is one, of course. That is yoga.
Meditative potential is another.
When I am late to pick up my son from preschool, I notice my tight shoulders and short breaths, stop, breathe deeply, and move on. This awareness is yoga. And there is a wider reason, too. Like my sense of physical well-being and my center of calm, this community is part of my everyday life. Yoga is a part of everything I do, and I plan to carry it with me through life and into an active, pain-free, serene old age.