In class recently, I was sharing the story of what things were like when I opened my first yoga studio, Chicagoland Total Body Yoga.
Without apology, I begged my neighbors and friends to be in class for free so it would look like we had students, but really we didn't have any money coming in for months.
I was working two full-time jobs clocking in a ridiculous number of hours each week, and almost every waking moment was poured into fanning the flame of the studio to keep it alive another day, week, let alone month or year. Well, that was 13 years ago.
To say I often thought about giving up would be an understatement.
Financial Food for Thought
I know that many of you have been impacted directly by financial contraction in the world. I get that. I personally understand that all too well. And on my teaching team I had a number of teachers whose partners lost their jobs, some faced hardship in losing their home, or had to sell their home but weren’t able to, ended up underselling their home, and more.
We yoga teachers are just like you.
This reminds me of a beautiful Sufi teaching that spoke to my heart, "We don't look in the light because it’s easy; we must also look in the darkness to find the answer." You guys, when we contract in our relationship to money every part of our life suffers.
So think about this: "It is interesting that happiness is a state of inner wealth, and the word WEALTH originally meant happiness (although we have to go back to 1250 for that definition).
Your money should be a source of bliss, not stress.~ Silvia Mordini
A good rule of thumb is: if your money is stressing you out, it's diverting the flow of ALL other good things to you as well. Money can't buy happiness, but happiness attracts money.
"Find ways to become happier first, and you'll dissolve some of your strongest financial blocks. Begin to develop a strong state of inner okayness and worth inside of yourself, even if you've still got bills to pay. When you do this, you will open the door for a better financial situation." – Sadie Nardini, Road Trip Guide To The Soul
Yoga Economics
This is simple yoga economics. Feel great first and financial abundance will reveal itself. If you stay feeling like crap, you block the good flow. How do you feel better?
Practice yoga! Get on the mat to find that always present sense of calm, quiet inner joy. Let yoga and meditation inspire you back to your best self and your true nature, which is to be happy. It is your birthright. And that makes great yoga economics.
Image credit: Silvia Mordini
