Running Into Joy

Today, I'm trying to put into words the special significance yoga has come to have in my life. I know, I know-- enough with the yoga talk already. For people who aren't into yoga, who don't want to get into yoga, or who are tired of people telling them yoga is a cure-all, I want to say that I hear you. I believe yoga can be for everyone (as in, you could do some form of yoga if you wanted to), but not everyone needs yoga, and it certainly can't fix everything. And yet, this practice feels so deeply personal and integral to how I come to peace with my body, settle into the experience of being inside the ever-changing single body I will inhabit during my life. I've written before about the significant, critical mental shift I experienced while on the Find What Feels Good yoga retreat with everyone's favorite internet guru, Adriene. But what I struggle to put into words is the everyday role yoga has in my life. When it isn't about completely removing my...

I have written before about how hard it is for me to sit still these days. I love taking long walks, doing yoga, just generally moving. And while I've been trying to cultivate more intentional stillness in my life, life had other plans: forced stillness. Oh, how badly I handle having my independence stripped away. This week, I've been dealing with knee pain that has left me crying on the couch because the act of walking is too painful to be justified except in extreme need. And I have been cranky.  It's amazing what we take for granted when our bodies are well and whole. Making our own dinner. Getting the mail. Running to the corner store for a snack. Taking out the trash. All of these things felt suddenly painful and difficult as my knee seemed poised to snap out of position with every step. Yesterday, I went to the doctor and got an official diagnosis on my knee. It turns out, nothing is ripped or torn or broken at all--it's just patellofemeral pain syndrome, ak...

I write to you from the couch, where my butt will be most of the day because, surprise surprise, I've got an injury! To say I'm frustrated would be an extreme understatement. Over the past couple days, my left knee has grown increasingly sensitive and unstable feeling, to the point where I'm now taking a full day of rest in hopes that it will feel better in the morning. Don't worry, I've got an appointment in with a doctor in case things don't improve. It's just that, with the recent experience I had in the medical system, I am not optimistic that doing so will really do much good with this kind of issue. The hours and dollars I wasted only to be repeatedly told different things about how to fix a problem that still hadn't been identified are fresh in my mind, and so I'm hoping this knee will handle itself. I am not good at being still. I love long walks, filling my weekend with the outdoors. I love running and yoga and being the able-bodied pe...