At the very end of the class, after a guided meditation the teacher said, “If there is anyone you would like to send your practice out to today, take a minute and do that now.”

I loved that.

In Buddhist meditation, often we are called to take all the joy and peace that we feel and try to radiate it out to others. We breathe in the pain and suffering of others, and we try to breathe out whatever peace and joy we have cultivated in ourselves.

At this point, I always think of my yoga practice as the thing that brings me peace and joy, and it is usually what I use to breathe out- wishing that others too, can have the same feelings of bliss that I get from my practice in their own lives.

I always feel a little funny doing this- like a secret missionary mentally trying to get the world to do yoga- and truly that isn’t my intent, but I can’t help but giggle a little.

So today, when the teacher suggested we take a moment and send our practice out to someone, I smiled to myself- and warmly sent it out to someone whom I love and admire very much.

(Monday 8pm Moksha Yoga Class)