Frankly I’m sick! I’m sick of posers, yoga posers. Sure you can be super skilled at asana but you can still be an ass the moment your off your mat! After the massive shift in Anusara, I’m convinced that for many people yoga is simply an act. After all yoga is a practice that helps you to live in this world in a skillful way and most importantly how to be truly happy. Mastering a yoga pose can certainly make your ego happy but is it making an impact on your unhealthy habits, or your negative small talk?
If you want more from the time you spend on your mat than this is what I believe the key is ~ your intention, your devotion, your dedication, your courage, your steadfastness, your compassion, your higher Self, your connection to others, your ability to see how you affect the world around you and your willingness to let go, surrender, un-yoga (attach) yourself.
Walking the yoga talk is a big deal. Once you awaken your sleepy consciousness you will start to see everything around you differently. Yoga when practiced skillfully makes your more sensitive, more psyshic if you will. You’ll notice when your words hurt someone immediately, or the vibration of a swear, how you feel if you eat like shit, lets be honest when you are a serious yogi you are aware of almost everything, to an annoyance I might add.
I’ve meet several people who are yoga teachers (some have taken a weekend course, geesh!) that smoke, cheat, lie, steal, eat animals, etc etc and I have to wonder what part of this ancient linage they are connecting to? We yoke (yoga) ourselves to what we think we can handle, sometimes the bare minimum, like a version that has very little resemblance to Ahimsa- non-violence! The very first step according to the great yoga masters, non-harming ourselves, other people or animals.
If you don’t want to give up your lifestyle than it’s easy enough to skip that first yama and maybe you will have more sucess at another one. The point is yoga is an incredible way of living but sacrifices need to made, you may have to let go of some of the things that you so desperately cling to. you may have to change your diet or the people you hang out with. Yoga takes a lot of effort! It take more effort than showing up for a class 3 times a week, it take a good, long hard look in the mirror at yourself and the person you see staring back at you.
No offence but my Pitta is fired up 
Blessings and transformation,
Mindy