I was scrolling though Instagram the other day and this popped up on my feed,

“You want joy, pleasure, sweetness, love…and do you know how to receive it? Rest is a place of reception and as Dr. Gail Parker says, ‘a place where we learn to receive ourselves.’ When you deny yourself rest, you deny gifts that heaven wants to pour out if only you would be still enough to receive”. – Octavia Raheem, Author of Pause, Rest, Be

Our culture is a “hustle” culture. We reward those who can cram a million tasks into a day.

This quote resonated because it reminded me that stillness is of great value.

Yoga also values stillness. Pausing in the beginning of a class to set your intention. Focusing on the breath in stillness helps us bring our awareness to our selves and to the moment.

Yoga is beneficial in many ways. But one of the most important to me is the stillness it creates. Not physical stillness as you’re still moving through different poses like a moving meditation. But stillness of mind. Singularity of purpose. Yoga is most successful when you are in the moment.

Rest is a place of reception. And yoga helps get me to that place. Like a bridge between movement and rest. And what do I receive? The answer is different every day. But almost always I receive clarity and renewal.