I believe that Yoga can encourage us to look closely at the longing we all have inside of us. Maybe the longing is to be happier, or more peaceful. Perhaps it is to have healthier relationships or more vitality. In those quiet moments on the mat we can discover parts of ourselves we may not otherwise listen for or pay attention to. That hunger or yearning knocking at our heart.

Whatever it is, we all have it.

Do you recognize that hunger inside you that has nothing to do with food? I mean the kind of hunger that boils deep inside of your soul. The hunger that makes you stay up late dreaming because you know that it cannot be satisfied until it is done.

You know, the hunger that gnaws at you with those pains that finally make you stop and listen. It is my experience that this type of longing isn’t for a new ‘thing’ that is tangible, but rather it is the hunger for the rawness of your soul to be allowed to reveal itself. It is the truth that is buried beneath the story.

To unearth this truth it takes tenacity, but first you must first have the hunger to do the work and to walk the path toward this alignment. This type of longing, and learning to honor and listen, is one of the greatest treasures you will ever give your life and as a result the lives of the people you love.

Ask yourself the following–

• What is seeking to emerge?
• What am I hiding from?
• What do I crave?
• What keeps showing up in my life?
• Am I willing to listen and act?
• Do I believe I am worth it?
• Am I willing to take of the shields that I have placed on myself, or have been placed on me?
• Can I show up for myself?

Start there. More questions naturally come from the beginning of excavating the excuses and the blame you’ve grown accustomed to.

Be ready to get messy.

This might be the beginning of the invitation to wake up and find who you really are.