Our Dear Acharya and Vijaya

Something about seeing old friends always reminds me of the journey we have taken together and how far I have progressed (or digressed, as the case may sometimes be.) When those “old friends” are wise teachers who have guided you through the rough patches, the path comes into new focus. I look back on my long journey and realize that, despite my whining and moaning, something has shifted in me. I am no longer the scattered girl with the noisy mental chatter egging me on to the next unhealthy situation. Somewhere along the way, yoga has taken root in my being, and I am capable of sitting quietly, and of maintaining (at least for moderate periods of time) a calm and content state of mind. It is possible. I know this, not because I believe, but because I have experienced it.

This discovery would never have been possible without yoga, and therefore, without my yoga teachers. Acharya Shankaranarayana Jois and his wife Vijaya have been a huge part of my journey. Through the yoga techniques Acharya has taught me I have learned to settle the mind. But it is in their glowing presence that my heart grows bigger than the journey itself.