Are You a Yogi?

What defines a yogi? Is it if you practice yoga, even if it's only once in awhile? Is it if you live a yogic lifestyle or perhaps it's if you teach? I truly don't know the answer to that one as I think it differs for each person. 

I feel what defines me as a yogi is that I live yoga in my daily life. I certainly don't get to class or practice at home every day. The physical aspect of my practice is pretty limited due to my schedule. However, my style of living and how I treat people is always being practiced along yoga guidelines. You could say I live my yoga daily, therefor I'm a yogi.

Some people are very proud to define themselves as a yogi. They feel that it puts them in a special light and it makes them happy to know that others see them living this way. That's fine, but not yogic. You should live that way because it makes you happy and gives you a good life. It's unyogic to live a way simply to impress others or even yourself. You should live the way you want to live because it's who you truly are or hope to be.

I've talked to so many people who tell me that they haven't tried yoga yet because they don't think they'd fit in. They don't have the right body or don't know enough about the practice. The truth is, we all have to start some where and we're all beginners at some point. All those yoga stars took their first step onto the mat with some sense of fear about what was to come.

I've found it interesting that when people find out I teach, that they like to tell me all about how yogic they are. Oh, I take X amount of classes, or oh, I've been doing yoga for X amount of years. Instead I would love to hear more about how yoga has affected them and changed their lives for the better. After all that is the best part of yoga. Tell me how it has helped with any chronic pain or how you emotionally feel lighter and more in control of who you truly are. How yogic you are isn't measured by how long you've been doing it or how many classes you've taken, but by how it's changed your life for the better.

There are so many things in our lives that leads to competition, yoga shouldn't add to that. There's no sense comparing yourself in class to the other yogi's. Their level of ability, the way they're dressed or if they've been doing it for years and you've just started. It's ok if you only get to class once in awhile or if you don't know all the sanskrit words (I'm even a bit bad about that). How yogic you are isn't measured by any of those things.


You're yogic if you love yoga. If you live by the Yama's and Niyama's. If you share your love of yoga, simply because you want others to have the same positive benefits you did from adding it to your life. Whether you study yoga more in depth and practice every day or if you only get to class once a month, if you truly love yoga, your a yogi in my eyes.