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N E W C O M E R' S C O R N E R

YOGItimes magazine for the modern yogi

The Wonderful Gift of Breath

by Shelly Bennett

As I walked through the open doors and up the stairs to the butter cream walls, I never imagined how my life was about to change forever ...

My experience with accepting yoga into my life has been one of true revelation after revelation. I began my journey almost one year ago and am truly blessed to what it has given me and what I've given to myself with this new knowledge. I learn that with each and every practice it's new and different and open to change. That it's not about competition with anyone around you but letting go of the notion to compete and just allowing your body to be what it is today. It's about welcoming change and finding that my body can do what I never imagined. I welcome all of it, even the frustrations, with open arms and new found breath. AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH, THE WONDERFUL GIFT OF BREATH! Breathing in my own space and being okay with concentrating on me alone is something I look more forward to with each practice. My walls start to come down, one brick at a time sometimes. Other practices I have blasted through an entire wall at once! I'm learning to embrace it all, owning everything, every emotion and every possibility and at the same time without judgment. Wow, I'm going to be cleansing forever!! But that's the truth. My "stuff" will come and go and I just hope to choose the right path in dealing with whatever it might be. That it where my yoga begins.

When I was trying to conceive a child I wanted to have the perfect material environment for her. The perfect nursery, the perfect colors, the perfect stroller, enough money, bigger home, etc. What I remind myself through yoga is that I need to start by building the perfect environment for my child to grow in. My internal nursery needs to be a place for my baby to feel comfortable in before it even enters the outside world. Yoga has enabled me to decorate my nursery from within and make it a warm, safe and colorful surrounding for my child to grow in. With this sacred bond that we've created, I have no doubt it will be a perfect place for her to be reminded of and to come back to throughout her lifetime.

In my 32 years of life I've never felt as strong as I do today. I look forward to another 100 years of learning, accepting, letting go and smiling. I also hope that through nurturing myself I can remind others to do the same both inside and outside of the yoga studio with the butter cream walls.

The sacred part of me recognizes and appreciates the sacred part of you. Namaste

PS: Heidi, you'll always have a special place in my heart.

My experience with accepting yoga into my life has been one of true revelation after revelation. I began my journey almost one year ago and am truly blessed to what it has given me and what I've given to myself with this new knowledge. I learn that with each and every practice it's new and different and open to change. That it's not about competition with anyone around you but letting go of the notion to compete and just allowing your body to be what it is today. It's about welcoming change and finding that my body can do what I never imagined. I welcome all of it, even the frustrations, with open arms and new found breath. AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH, THE WONDERFUL GIFT OF BREATH! Breathing in my own space and being okay with concentrating on me alone is something I look more forward to with each practice. My walls start to come down, one brick at a time sometimes. Other practices I have blasted through an entire wall at once! I'm learning to embrace it all, owning everything, every emotion and every possibility and at the same time without judgment. Wow, I'm going to be cleansing forever!! But that's the truth. My "stuff" will come and go and I just hope to choose the right path in dealing with whatever it might be. That it where my yoga begins.

When I was trying to conceive a child I wanted to have the perfect material environment for her. The perfect nursery, the perfect colors, the perfect stroller, enough money, bigger home, etc. What I remind myself through yoga is that I need to start by building the perfect environment for my child to grow in. My internal nursery needs to be a place for my baby to feel comfortable in before it even enters the outside world. Yoga has enabled me to decorate my nursery from within and make it a warm, safe and colorful surrounding for my child to grow in. With this sacred bond that we've created, I have no doubt it will be a perfect place for her to be reminded of and to come back to throughout her lifetime.

In my 32 years of life I've never felt as strong as I do today. I look forward to another 100 years of learning, accepting, letting go and smiling. I also hope that through nurturing myself I can remind others to do the same both inside and outside of the yoga studio with the butter cream walls.

The sacred part of me recognizes and appreciates the sacred part of you. Namaste

PS: Heidi, you'll always have a special place in my heart.