Practicing yoga has helped me to see the spiritual essence within daily life- that the mundane, day to day moments are gateways to our essence of pure spirit. Even routine things like washing the dishes or driving your kids to school can be opportunities to open your heart to the divine essence within.

I remember having one of those moments as a young child. My dad and I were listening to Kenny Roger's "The Gambler" and he looked at me with a grin. "Kiddo, this song has a lot of good advice." Listening to the lyrics was a pivotal point in how I saw the world. Life isn't something to complain about and suffer through, it is a magical game of chance and skill. The song plays: "You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold them." Sometimes you are dealt an amazing hand and you feel like the luckiest person on Earth. Other times you can't believe it could get any worse. Whining doesn't make you win this game. Being successful at it is part luck and part digging into it with both hands. Sometimes it is most appropriate to work through it, and other times you may need to let it go. Yoga helps us with that discernment.

I feel this quote from Josh Billings really sums it up for me, "Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing those you hold well." We don't always have a say in how our life presents itself to us. Lady luck is very much in charge of this game of life, but you do have a say in how to work with what you have. You can appreciate the blessings and trust in the bigger picture- especially when life gives you a difficult hand. What matters most is what you do with what your dealt with. That is the yoga- to skillfully act even though you don't know the outcome of the game. It's all a fascinating and exciting game to enjoy playing!