Ask yourself this question, and listen for the answer,

What really matters to me about…

~ today?

~ this gathering?

~ this yoga practice?

Active listening helps us practice being more intentional. Through listening to each other, and learning to listen to ourselves in our yoga practice, we can begin to cultivate kindness. The Old English root of the word kindness is ‘cynde’ or kinship - belonging.

Through kinship and belonging in family and community, we learn to give kindness and compassion and to receive kindness and compassion.

Harnessing and gathering (again and again) the intention to be kind and warm and compassionate with ourselves on our yoga mats, generously spills out and goes with us into the world.

Check out this poem I found about kindness, empathy and listening:

kindness
is yoga
for the heart

we are called
to bend
ourselves toward each
other

so we can learn to
be in harmony
with our neighbor

we can’t be in balance
if we don’t stretch our
hearts until they begin
to look like ears

listening Is
my new breath work

I inhale your story
~ I exhale my compassion

I inhale your suffering
~ I exhale my gentleness

oh, my love,

empathy has
become
my favorite
pose

~john roedel