Seeing your yoga mat, in the corner collecting dust, can sometimes trigger feelings of guilt. And whether it's a glimpse of your gym bag in the back of your closet or bumping into your fitness instructor after you've been absent from class, these encounters can sometimes make you feel guilty for not exercising or attending class.

Yoga, specifically, is about being present (wherever you are.) The word yoga means "yoke" or "union" and can be interpreted as being connected or united with your present moment. By virtue of the meaning, if you are present in the moment, wherever that might be, you are practicing yoga. Feeling guilty for where you haven't been or where you want to be, in some ways, is the antithesis of yoga and of being consciously present.

As an instructor, I tell practitioners to never feel guilty for not coming to class. You never have to explain why you've taken time off. Wherever you were, that's where you needed to be. When you are here in class, you are present, and that is all that matters.

namaste.