The Prana Filter – Yoga can protect you, even in Vermont

In Vermont and all over the United States, Yoga is good for democracy. In fact, it might even be your civic duty.

While I have never been a political junkie, I did watch some of the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention. And while some of the images and speeches were delightful and inspiring, the abundance of vitriol and deceit overwhelmed me. Both parties brought the fact-checkers to their knees.

This is when it’s time to turn on the Prana Filter (prana is your life energy, your life force). We cannot control the words and deeds of others, we cannot even control the things that happen directly to us in a single day. We can only control how we react to them. A regular yoga practice, even an irregular one, can help us control these reactions.

Even if you have never tried yoga or meditation before, you can gain something from it in a single session (we have two beginner yoga series starting September 19th, so you can see for yourself). The simple act of  becoming aware of the breath can make all the difference in the world. This is the first step in taking control of your reactions and your life force – your prana.

My favorite ‘celebrity’ yoga teacher is David Swenson. He describes yoga as a fun, interesting, tasty practice that each of us can use to make a positive influence in the world. He makes prana sound like a force field we can use for our own protection and for the good of all. I like that idea. Check it out:

And now we begin the practice of yoga;  May the force be with you.