#98: A Great Yoga Practice

This piece reminds me of my frequent 20-minute speed walks to classes each day. I only recently starting viewing those speed walks as a form of exercise and stress-relief in itself. I don't break a huge sweat and no fitness machines are involved, yet I always feel more energetic and rejuvenated afterwards. And I think it's really wonderful to find the joys and satisfactions in these not-so-perfect experiences or practices, just like you did Sasha. Thank you.  

- Amanda 

Sasha Dichter      sdichter@acumen.org 

A Great Yoga Practice

My yoga practice today
Happened next to a half-made bed
A few clothes strewn nearby

My daughter entered the room a few minutes in
Plopped herself onto the bed
To read her book

I stopped once or twice
Answered a few questions
And ended my practice mid-pose for bedtime

Yoga used to be a sweaty thing
Pushing through physical barriers
Bending further, deeper

This time I didn’t even break a sweat
The twinge in my back didn’t melt away
There was no savasana or Om

But afterwards
I feel joy and gratitude
For the people around me

Maybe it was a great yoga practice after all 

Sasha's first-person bio:

As Acumen’s Chief Innovation Officer, I oversee Acumen’s three fastest-growing verticals: Lean Data, which brings customer voice into impact measurement; the Acumen Fellows Programs, with more than 400 Fellows globally; and +Acumen, the World’s School for Social change. I’ve also been blogging since 2008 and have written more than 1,000 blog posts on generosity, philanthropy and social change. I was the instigator behind Generosity Day and, frustrated with how nonprofits approach fundraising, I wrote the Manifesto for Nonprofit CEOs, a free resource that has been shared with thousands of nonprofit CEOs and Boards who care about making a difference.      I find I get the most joy from my work when I see someone around me change and grow.