{"id":3082,"date":"2014-12-26T22:52:36","date_gmt":"2014-12-26T22:52:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jenniferswhite.com\/?p=3082"},"modified":"2015-01-08T15:40:39","modified_gmt":"2015-01-08T15:40:39","slug":"yes-im-a-serious-yogi-but-i-still-do-these-6-things-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jenniferswhite.com\/yes-im-a-serious-yogi-but-i-still-do-these-6-things-too\/","title":{"rendered":"Yes, I’m a Serious Yogi, But I Still Do These 6 Things (Too)."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"10850000_10152570606330197_7440755952853310071_n\"<\/a><\/h3>\n

A serious yogi is someone who practices yoga every single day, understands fully that practicing yoga is not usually done on a mat and who tries to always better herself (or himself, but, I\u2019m a feminist\u2014so herself<\/em>).<\/h3>\n

In short, a serious yogi believes that the purpose of life is self-growth and self-betterment, but knows from personal experience that owning our ubiquitous human-flaws is the only real way to achieve it.<\/p>\n

And this\u2014this<\/em>\u2014is why once upon a time I wrote a slightly infamous article entitled, \u201cYes, I\u2019m a Serious Yogi, But I Still Do These 6 Things.\u201d<\/a> (By the way, I\u2019m including this definition for the way<\/em> too many comments that followed, asking what my definition of a \u201cserious yogi\u201d is.)<\/p>\n

I wrote it because I believe that a huge amount of personal responsibility coupled with a ginormous sense of humor is an extremely helpful combination to possess on this \u201cserious yogi\u201d path.<\/p>\n

And, for me, this year was one of the craziest I\u2019ve ever had.<\/p>\n

This year I birthed a book<\/a>, a baby <\/a>and, in general, had more going on than I thought one year could fit.<\/p>\n

And you know what? I really needed that sassy sense of humor of mine\u2014I definitely used it to help me come out stronger, happier and all-around better as this year closes (instead of going nuts).<\/p>\n

So, in honor of my belief that the yoga community is never too snooty or close-minded (or definitional of what yoga is), I\u2019m creating another list of six more<\/em> things I do even though I\u2019m a serious yogi.<\/p>\n

1. I yell.<\/em><\/p>\n

This one I\u2019m not proud of\u2014but I\u2019m not ashamed of it either.<\/p>\n

I have a temper.<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019m loud\u2014always<\/em>. (My husband regularly asks me if I could speak more quietly, as he\u2019s getting a headache.)<\/p>\n

And, yes, I\u2019ll admit that I do work on not yelling and that, likely, I\u2019ll always have to work on this reaction of mine, but here\u2019s to being open about who I am, stopping shame in its tracks and loving myself wholeheartedly.<\/p>\n

2. I hopped on the selfie-crazed bandwagon.<\/em><\/p>\n

And, no, it\u2019s not because I\u2019m a yoga-narcissist. Rather, it\u2019s because I realized that I have very few pictures of me with my children. (I\u2019m<\/em> always the one taking the pictures.)<\/p>\n

So, I fixed that (by taking a few selfies).<\/p>\n

3. I eat quickly.<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, I work on eating mindfully. Of course, I consciously try to slow myself down, but speaking of practicing yoga, there\u2019s a little thing called doshas within its sister-science of Ayurveda.<\/p>\n

And my prominent dosha types are Vata and Pitta\u2014meaning my nature is to eat fast and then rush off to the next thing. (Which is one major reason I practice yoga in the first place\u2014to appreciate the present moment more fully.)<\/p>\n

4. I call myself a yogi.<\/em><\/p>\n

Another long string of commentary on that aforementioned blog of mine was directed at my calling myself a \u201cyogi.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead of going on and on about what a waste of time\/what nonsense\/how nit-picky it is to take the time to focus on this aspect of my writing, I\u2019ll simply explain why<\/em> I call myself a yogi and not a yogini\u2014it\u2019s because I\u2019m a feminist and I personally don\u2019t feel the need or desire to classify myself differently simply because I own a vagina.<\/p>\n

5. I dislike people.<\/em><\/p>\n

This said, I don\u2019t prefer to use the term \u201chate\u201d and I really don\u2019t hate<\/em> anyone. However, I absolutely dislike a few people. (I am<\/em> a human being after all and one with a strong personality on top of that.)<\/p>\n

Still, I use my yoga practice to help me understand and accept people and to direct my energy more efficiently (at better things and people).<\/p>\n

6. I use the toilet.<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019m throwing this in last, as my closing, because I think it\u2019s extremely helpful to remember that every one of us\u2014even the greatest, most positively influential people who ever lived\u2014still had to go to the loo.<\/p>\n

Because we\u2019re all human\u2014we\u2019re all perfectly imperfect<\/em>\u2014whether or not we\u2019re \u201cserious yogis\u201d\u2014thank God.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Photos: Author’s own; Flickr\/Happy Yoga<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This article was first published by elephant journal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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