Mountain Pose

I started doing yoga this fall: for one, it's trendy and super-cool, and two, I'm paying an arm and a leg for my gym membership at the Washington Sports Club, so I might as well get my money's worth. I only did it every couple of weeks, but now I'm trying to make it every Tuesday night if I can. It's vinyasa yoga, which means your body flows with your breath. I find it very relaxing and calming, so when I'm done at 8:30pm, I just want to melt into my bed.

This post isn't about telling you that you should take yoga. But I do want to tell you about one particular part of my class: the mountain pose. You stand at the edge of your mat, feet hip-width apart, with your arms down by your side but your palms facing upwards. You stand tall, your chest open, your eyes closed. You focus on your breath, feeling the energy surge through your body as you inhale, and feeling completely grounded as you exhale. The pose is supposed to make you feel like a mountain: strong and steady. I think that's how we should feel throughout our daily lives. You are strong, unnerved by the challenges that you face, knowing that you can stand up to any adversity that comes your way. You stand up for your beliefs, your work, your friends, anything that is meaningful to you. And in return, those things will only make your stronger.