In speaking with a student earlier, I came upon a lovely conclusion: I have chosen a career that takes people to their edge—away from what they are mostly comfortable with.

My student, also a teacher in her own right, shared a desire to communicate and connect more deeply with others. But beneath that desire, she sensed a fear she couldn’t quite name.

Technology, as we know it, brings us closer to things—yet from a great distance.
As a teacher and guide, how do I comfortably take her to that edge?

When communication is filtered through screens, we begin to lose touch with what life is really about: our senses.
How does sitting at a computer make me more aware or more awake, if I'm only using a few fingertips and barely moving my eyes?
How can I truly hear the pain—or joy—in someone's voice through a text? I can only interpret it through my own thoughts and filters, not theirs.
Especially if they’ve grown comfortable with being connectedly disconnected.

What does it mean to be alive to you—today?
To me, it's...

• The feel of the air against my cheek.

• The smell of chickens in my yard.

• The laughter of the final leaves on the tree.

• A hug.

• The touch of someone’s hand.

• The connection of energy when I look someone in the eyes and acknowledge them as a being.

We can’t do this if we live behind technology.
We can’t do this if we hide behind these silly screens and teach our children that this is okay.
We can’t do this if we are more absorbed in our iPads than in our dinner dates.

I’m not big on posts—because where is the truth behind the words?
Texting, emails, and fancy communication devices often remain just that: words.

I want to see and connect with my students.
I want them to feel what it means to live on the edge of themselves.
To grow and constantly change.
To fear nothing.
To love everything.
To embrace what we don’t like—and learn from it.

That’s what yoga is about.
Because if you don’t like the pose…
You probably need it.

Wouldn’t you agree?