I am a yogi

 My community is always with me

My mornings begin with a predictable routine -- coffee, smartphone scrolling, and yoga. I pour my second cup of coffee at home but my second shot of yoga is typically at Yen Yoga, which has been a virtual community for the past 2+ years.

Yen again becomes a physical location on Monday, June 20 when it moves into its beautiful new studio on the Bay, but this week there's a lull. Since I can't go to class, I've decided to post pictures of me practicing yoga on a recent road trip to the southwest. 

This post is dedicated to my teachers at Yen who have made yoga an integral part of my life. 
 
Saluting the sun on the Mighty Mississippi River


I carry my mat wherever I go, so I've done yoga at campsites, riversides, abandoned mission churches, and city parks.  Sometimes I have to block out urban noises, but sometimes I get lucky and the wind in the trees or the soothing sound of a rushing river become my soundtrack.



The historic St. Francis de Sales Mission near Hatch, New Mexico, is now an Air B&B, but the church is open for guest use and its cool dark interior creates a serene space for meditation.



Morning stretch on the banks of the Rio Grande in Del Norte, Colorado




Down dog in the Texas badlands outside Big Bend National Park.




Warrior III on the Kansas plains




Reverse triangle at Mounds State Park in Mounds, Ohio




Yoga makes me feel like I can reach the stars.


My balance is sometimes wonky and when I look at these photos, I see that my form feels better than it looks, but this discipline has centered my focus and calmed my mind. I can't wait to join my community of yogis in the studio again.

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