While visiting my friend, M, recently we rode from her house in Upland to the quaint town of Claremont.  In old town Claremont, there are many shops, sidewalks, trees, restaurants and outdoor cafe’s.  We stopped at the Buddhamouse Emporium where imported items every yogini would desire was displayed.  After playing with a few Tibetan bowls by skimming the brass rims at a slow pace with a fat, short, wooden dowel-like stick, I walked over to the small book selection.  I did find a book there I feel I was meant to purchase.  It is on writing.  The store promotes peace, beauty and well-being and has all the accruements you would need to enhance your yogic experience – plus +  ‘gifts’.Has yoga been commercialized?  Oh yes.  I remember my son thumbing through a Gaim catalog and commenting “How could a soul-centered experience have so many products to sell?” or something of that nature.  He was right.  I couldn’t read enough yoga books, collect enough crystals, essential oils, yoga mats, yoga blankets, blocks, bands, yoga banners, music or yoga wear in my two year yoga teaching career even if I “had traded shopping for teaching” as my youngest just suggested.

In the end what matters most is – How well did you love?  How well did you live?  How well did you learn to let go? – Dalai Lama

Good thing I let go of yoga or I would be in debt right now.