When I took my first Yoga class at the Langham Creek YMCA in 2009, I had no idea how much this ancient discipline would change and improve my life!!

My mom signed up the whole family for the YMCA after I tore my ACL during a dance audition (talk about trauma!) at the end of my junior year of high school. I went to the gym every day to work on building my leg muscles so I could recover and get back to what I loved – dancing! 

But after graduation, I found myself in a funk. 

All I understood about working out was sweating as much as I could so I could be as close to size 0 as possible. I was abusing my body and it didn’t make me very happy. I stayed in Houston for school while everyone I knew left for their college town experiences. And since I commuted for class & work, I didn’t make many meaningful friendships in the little free time I had around campus. Worst of all, I found myself in a very toxic relationship. And when I decided to leave, I was harassed for months.

I was not in a good place mentally.  

I can’t remember exactly when I walked into my first class but I do remember feeling nervous and underestimating the power of ‘some stretching’. While I can’t recall specifics, I remember the vibe and that was enough to keep me coming back for more.

I haven’t been the same since!

Like many hobbies or practices, you might fall away for a bit. And then something life-shaking might bring you back… 2020 definitely brought me back to all of my grounding practices. 
After a depressive episode, I started to incorporate yoga into my morning routine as a non-negotiable promise to myself. 10 minutes every single morning upon waking up. It helped pull me out of a dark place, just like it did that first time all those years ago. Yoga brings me back into my body. It brings me back into the moment. It centers me, grounds me; it keeps me compassionate and aware. 

I learn so much about myself in this practice,
and I never want to stop  

Happy International Yoga Day! 
The light in me honors the light in you 
xoxo 

Today is known as Clean Monday and starts the first day of Great Lent, falling 7 weeks before the feast of Holy Pasxa (Easter). It is also known as Pure Monday, Monday of Lent or even sometimes referred to as Green Monday. You might also hear it called “Ash Monday” like “Ash Wednesday” celebrated in the West, but we don’t use ashes.

We actually start preparing for this season of preparation for Pasxa a few weeks before with Judgement (Meatfare) and Forgiveness (Cheesefare) Sundays, focusing on the judgement and forgiveness of Christ, also the last days to have meat and cheese respectively. We call today’s holiday ‘Clean Monday‘, and this week – Clean Week – referring to the start of this purification period where we abstain from sinful attitudes, behaviors and non-fasting foods like meat, dairy, eggs, fish, oil & wine.

The season officially starts the Sunday evening before Clean Monday with Forgiveness Vespers on Forgiveness Sunday where we ask forgiveness not only from God, but from each other so we start this season with a clean mind and with the love and forgiveness of Christ in our hearts – how beautiful is that? The entire week is dedicated to cleaning our diets, our homes and most of all, especially our hearts – setting the tone for the next 7 weeks. The period of the 40 days & 40 nights of Great and Holy Lent is called ‘Sarakosti‘, meaning “40”, however the entire duration of the Lenten period is inclusive of the 40 days + Holy Week (the week of Palm Sunday through Easter), which makes it a little longer at about 49 days.

To wish each other a good Lent, we say “Kali Sarakosti”, the tables are full of fasting foods like lagana bread and taramasalata, and many people fly kites in celebration! The kites are said to represent the connection of the human soul to Heaven, the Resurrection of Christ or the journey of purification we are about to embark, whatever the reason, it is rooted in the deep spirituality of Orthodox Christians. This season is very much one of spiritual renewal, restoration, and ends with revival, and Resurrection – there is little coincidence that this feels like spring festival than it does the start of Lent. Orthodox Christians strive to live our lives according to Scripture, reading Matthew 6:14-21 as the Gospel reading on Forgiveness Sunday, as a reminder to enter this time with reverence but also celebration:

When you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly I say you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that you do not appear to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

Matthew 6:16-18

Kali Sarakosti and Happy Springtime, friends!

xoxo