Less like exercise. More like prayer.

This past Friday I had my first yoga session of the year at Everglades Correctional Institution. It is part of an amazing program developed and organized through Exchange for Change.

As I drove toward the facility on a cool Miami morning, I was excited to see who would show up. When I walked in, the room was full. There were over 20 men eager to get on their mats and practice breathing and moving.

Sharing my yoga practice is one of my great joys in life. For me yoga is less like exercise and more like prayer. There is a profound sense of freedom and goodness when one finds that there are moments in the practice when we meet ourselves in loving silence and our stories of loss, regret, and sorrow become just that, stories. It is those moments of no thought and abundant grace that transform even the most difficult of times and places into sacred and holy grounds.

I always remind the men I practice with at ECI that they are the most advanced yogis I know. Their capacity to live their lives with integrity and goodness in an environment that is so full of challenges and difficulty encourages me to do the same. 

We are each walking each other home. Home is always in our hearts, the center of divinity within us and the fountain of courage to live our lives well.

Wishing you all that is good.

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