Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, where I competed my teacher training, is named after Swami Kripalu, a speaker, teacher and yogi, who arrived in the United States from India in 1977 and inspired thousands of people on their spiritual path. 

Kripalu means "compassion" - so when people ask me what type of yoga I teach, I say, compassionate yoga. 

What is compassionate yoga? 

First, what is compassion? 

Compassion is being kind to yourself and others, in your words and actions.

On the mat, compassionate yoga looks like taking care of my body and my health. It looks like taking rest when I need to, and not trying to force an impressive pose for the sake of my ego. It also looks like pushing myself when I know I can, to my edge, in order to try something new. To allow myself to be challenged in order to remember what I am capable of. Compassionate yoga looks like taking care of myself by being brave. It looks like honoring myself by trusting my heart and my gut. It looks like smiling when I stretch myself a little further, or notice muscles that have suddenly shown up.

What an amazing journey I have had learning the practice of compassionate yoga! I'm not sure there is another type of yoga I would ever want to learn. 

Of course, our yoga practice extends off the mat, so when you practice compassionate yoga, you also treat yourself and others in your day-to-day, with kindness. 

Compassionate yoga looks like all the lessons I need to learn and practice in life.

Compassionate yoga yields so much curiosity and self-observation. I remember lessons from my yoga practice and try them out in other situations. I remember to add rest during a particularly busy day. I remember to make time for play, fun, and smiling. I remember to laugh at myself when I fall. I remember to try hard things. I remember I can be brave. I remember it's ok to feel sad; it's also ok to feel proud. I remember to back off. I remember to listen to my heart when it speaks to me. I remember to sit still and breathe when I don't know what to do next.

I remember how to feel.

I remember how to live.

To practice kind words and actions is a tall order - especially when it means both spoken and unspoken words. Recall the voice in your head, the one that isn't always so nice. Recall your quick judgment of your neighbor or the person who cut you off. Recall the quick criticism of yourself, when you made a mistake.

When we embody compassion as a core principle in our life, we intuitively make different decisions. 

We choose to be kind. And when we are kind to ourself, and kind to others, there are a lot less mistakes made, a lot less injury and hurt feelings, and a lot more love and tenderness to go around. 

You can start now - by saying something kind to yourself. Try it. No one is watching or listening, but you.