It had rained heavily the night before, which is rare where we live in southern California.  The next morning, as the sun was peeking through billowy clouds, my four-year-old son and I set out for a walk to enjoy the clean, moist air.  Before too long we came to a great puddle in the middle of the sidewalk.   It must have been three feet across and several inches deep.

I immediately avoided the pool of water, circling easily around one side where there was higher ground.  Upon reaching the other side, I looked back and there was my boy staring curiously at me as if he could not believe what I had just done.  With a wry smile he backed up a few steps, got a running start and took a huge leap, then landed – SPLAT! – smack into the middle of the puddle.

“Daddy,” he said urgently as he came up to me with his feet and pants soaked, smiling with glee, “jump in ALL the puddles!”  I instantly understood the lesson.  I was in a state of constriction, subconsciously avoiding any potential inconvenience or discomfort and completely missing the joy of a spontaneous act.  My son and I then held hands and began skipping down the walk, jumping in every single puddle along the way.  In no time we were muddy and drenched and our ribs ached from all the laughter.  It was one of the best mornings ever.

If you have spent any time with young children you likely have noticed there is something that they all (more…)

For most of us in the West, Yoga is Downward Dog, Warrior Pose, Sun Salutations… a series of challenging postures, or Asanas, that we do at Yoga studios, the gym or at home.  These Asanas help us stretch and strengthen our muscles, build endurance, find greater balance and take ourselves beyond our perceived physical limitations.  Done on a regular basis, Yoga postures can also diminish physical pain, release toxins, alleviate stress and promote healing.  But many would be surprised to learn that performing these postures does not necessarily mean that we are practicing Yoga.

The branding that has come to characterize much of what is perceived as Yoga in the West is also somewhat misleading.  The most well known brands include Iyengar, Ashtanga, Kundalini, Bikram, and Anusara.  A few of these styles even claim to be the best or only legitimate form of Yoga, which is preposterous.  They all have great benefits to offer us, but none of them is inherently superior to (more…)