Virabhadrasana II

        Virabhadrasana II is the Sanskrit word for the yoga pose Warrior Two.  I chose this as the title for my first blog for a number of reasons. Firstly, nearly anyone with even the most minor yoga experience can recall what this position looks like and roughly how to do it.  Secondly, I love what it represents.
       Virabhadransa II is the physical representation of the story of each yogi's life.  The arm behind you represents your past.  The arm in front of you symbolizes your future.  In order to do the pose correctly, your arms must be level - not putting too much pressure on past nor future.  Your gravity must be centered - not leaning towards the past nor drifting one's attention too far into the future. An aligned yogi or yogini is present in the now. Perfectly balanced between past, present, and future.  (Thank you Izzi for teaching me this during Hatha-Gong this week).
        With that, I look to my past - Most recently, I have had a series of health problems.  I was dangerously ill for nearly 4 months after graduation where my weight was fluctuating like no other.  Finally, I sought help, only to discover that I am quite possibly intolerant to every food I absolutely love (red meats, berries, cherries, chocolate, grapes, olives and olive oil, peanuts, lemons, pinto beans, mushrooms, ect).  I went on a 4 day fast followed by a 7 day detox. I had to change the way I lived and ate. Before that I graduated college from ASU.  I finished out my days of being a sorority girl and life being a non-stop bar. Seems strange to think that I was once a die-hard athlete, playing hockey 7 days a week and living in the ice arena. I've moved countless times calling Minnesota, Boston, San Diego, and Phoenix all home at one point or another.  I've been successful and I've made my mistakes. I've made and I've lost relationships. I've learned that I am a stubborn friend - so a big thank you to my best friend, Laura, for putting up with all my crazy.
         And as I look back to the past, I also anticipate, fear, and draw excitement about my future.  I am currently in the process of applying to graduate school to (hopefully) study Audiology.  This being said, I am not applying to a school, but rather 20 schools. Yes, call me crazy - we all are a bit. And, with that, I have no idea where I may be living in a year.  I could be anywhere between Seattle or D.C.  Or, I could still be in Tempe in a year. With that, typical and fearful questions arise {Will I like where I live? Will my dog Isabel be OK without her best friend Baby? Will I know anyone there? Will I have or form a support group? Will I meet a date-able someone? Will I be successful? Will I be happy? Will I live up to my own and others expectations? Ect. Ect.} And one cannot help but to live ones life constantly looking forward into the unknown.  Its exactly that - unknown, with all its fears, expectations, and many twisting roads that may lead you to either great success, or another pity party catastrophe.
          So here we are back to Virabhadrasana II - The focus on being in the now.  What is happening in the now? What am I currently doing and achieving to make my life a success every moment in the moment?  For me its simple - yoga.  I am currently in a kind of void in my life - I'm not in school anymore, not in grad school either.  I have a steady, dependable job, but its not a career.  And that's perfectly fine.  I am only 23!  So, I fill my voids with yoga.  I fill my empty spaces with the rejuvenation of a sun salutation and the calming effects of a 20 minute meditation.  My daily goal is not so much to try to make tomorrow a success, as much as it is to make today a pleasure.

So I leave it at that - How canI live in the moment and make every day something that I enjoy?

~ Namaste