Searching

People often comment to me that I’m very wise for one so young. I’m not sure when or where my quest for self-knowledge began, but I think it must have been long before my soul inhabited this current worldly body.

We all learn in our own time. You cannot force anyone to see anything he does not want to see. I have had countless friends who for fear, or love, or passion, have not been willing to let go of unhealthy patterns or attachments. When Siddhartha, the Buddha, said that life is suffering, he did not mean that our lives are therefore unpleasant and full of anguish. While life is full of suffering, it is also full of beauty and joy. Neither of these states last. Nothing is eternal. Each experience, no matter how amazing or terrible, will come to an end. Once you accept this, everything becomes a lot easier.

It is only through continued practice of yoga and meditation that I find myself capable of true happiness. Being happy is not based on a person or a thing. I still have a lot of trouble remembering to let go of material attachments and especially people, but when I do remember, I feel my entire being filling with a pure joy — a feeling I wish to share with everyone around me.

I have been practicing ashtanga yoga for several years. Some days I cannot quiet the voices in my head, while other days, I manage to maintain a blissful silence, as though practicing in a cave filled with crystal clear water. Yoga is not simply a form of exercise. It is an all-encompassing way of life. Breathing, taking time to listen to my body, learning my body, is one of the most beautiful and important things I have ever done.

I will continue to practice and hopefully, to teach, as April grows older. It is never too late to start taking the time to be good to yourself and your body. The best part is that most people see the benefits right away! Simply taking some time to be quiet can do a world of good in the crazy, noisy, stressful societies in which most of us reside.