Yoga In a Small Town

Sometimes I can't believe the following that has gathered here in my small town to learn about all things yoga. I understand that some people just want to try the latest trendy workout, but the truth is, yoga has been around for over 5000 years, so there's nothing new about it. And like my instructor told me, most people come to the mat in search of something. Usually, you are in some kind of pain. Typically emotional, but also physical. I have many students who want to be active but have been injured in some way and are in desperate need of rehab. What they soon discover, however, is that what they were really looking for was a community of like minded people. We are all searching for that in some form or another, and I find that yogis tend to have giving hearts and are willing put themselves out there for each other. When I first moved here, as is typical for me, I felt out of place. I am an incredibly spiritual person, which translates to 'nonreligious-free thinking-came up with my own faith' kind of thing. That doesn't bode well in a small town. After being ask repeatedly if I was 'plugged in' anywhere, and my many refusals over the years, most people accept that I am 'kind of different' and don't ask me to attend their churches anymore, but alas, I am thought of as lost or searching, someone who doesn't understand the power of accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The funny thing is, I am rarely ask what I do believe in, what my faith means to me, how I came to the conclusions I came to or if I even believe in God. It is assumed that I don't and that my quality of life is not quite what it could be because I don't attend church on a regular basis. The truth is, I have tried a couple of churches, but I cannot profess to believe in the doctrines and feel more like a hypocrite than anything, so I follow my own path, for lack of a better word. So this is what this blog is about, my spirituality, how I got here, what I read, and how it feels to be a good person who feels rejected for not being a member of the religious 'club'. I sincerely hope to find my community here, to feel a connection and to express my views as honestly as I can without feeling judged or pitied. Until tomorrow.
Namaste',
Swami Summer