Actually, I have more than one new year resolution, but let me start with this one now, while the rest of the Honolulu City seems on fire (crackers), a tradition here.

A friend of mine told me that she would like to start yoga in 2016, to strength her immune system. I am not an expert on the relationship between yoga and immune system, but I would like to help her get started by writing this Blog for her, and for you.

Knowing her health need, I thought about her during today's yoga class. Actually, we are always told to clear our mind during the class, but I could never do so 100%. We are also told to dedicate each class to someone, anyone, including oneself, which I do. I dedicated today's class to her, J. L. In fact, I was "talking" to her through out the class, walking through my own yoga path over the past 2+ years. I still remember how clumsy I was the first day, the first week, the first month. I can never figure out exactly what it was to draw me back to the studio, day after day, week after week, month after month. But, here I am, more than two years later, I am younger and healthier than when I started yoga in Oct. 2013.

What I wanted to tell her was the following:

1. Go to yoga classes, if you don't have a private instructor;

2. Listen to your body (don't push your body too hard, to avoid getting injured);

3. Breath deeply;

4. Be mindful.

As I get older day by day, I am fully aware of my aging mind and body. I forget a lot these days, which is good in a way (because I avoid arguing with people about what happened). However, I SEE each yoga pose: what it was like when I started, what it is today, and what it may be in future. Even though I cannot be sure how perfect I will be in each pose, but I believe in progress over time because I have seen my own (yoga) path. When I started, I could not do many poses, and wondered how other students managed. As time went by, my core was strengthened, and my body became more flexible. Today, when I see a new comer "fails" to follow the instruction, I want to tell her/him: No worry, it will come in time.

I am so much more alert to things, to my own body, mind, and to my surroundings. I udnerstand taking small steps forward, and accept setbacks from time to time. Just because I could do a pose perfectly yesterday, it may not be the case today. Somehow, I could almost always notice a tiny improvement in myself weekly, if not daily. I remember some poses seemed impossibly to do; then, one day, I did it. The key? The overall strenthening of my core, increase of flexibility, etc. The most obvious change I noticed these days is I no longer walk out of the class with half soaked top. Yes, I am much stronger physically. But, more importantly, I am much strogner mentally, I am much more mindful, and I am much happier!

So, J. L. I wish you a very happy journey down the yoga lane!