Aint No Sunshine

By Cheryl Hansen

“Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone. It’s not warm when she’s away. Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone and she’s always gone too long. Anytime she goes away.”

So the “she” here is yoga. And she’s been gone way too long. It’s only been a week or so. I’ve been writing (for my day job) non-stop for days. It’s intense and exhausting and necessary. But I sure miss the sunshine.

It’s not just yoga that’s been cast aside. There are dishes in the sink, dog hair carpeting the floor and my kids may or may not have clean underwear. But as I approach the finish line I’m realizing the effects of this unfortunate separation from yoga more than anything.

Physically, I am run down—which is surely a result of late nights and early mornings. But it’s more than that. Yoga ignites my muscles in a way that makes me feel vibrant, fresh and confident. I miss that feeling. I need it.

The surprising part, however, is that even more than the physical piece of yoga, I miss the mental. I miss the emotional release that yoga provides—the hour that I focus on nothing other then me, my body, my breath and my mat. I’m certainly not the first to say it—but it’s transformative.

Unfortunately, that restful, transformed, fresh feeling yoga provides is mostly temporary—at least for my rookie self. I believe that the more I practice, the better I’ll feel both present and future—both physically and emotionally. But I think this last week has taught me just how important it is to go and keep going. Because I need that sunshine in my life. Here’s hoping she won’t be gone too long.