I find diversity delightful. For me it truly is the spice of life and brings such richness and joy to life.

I particularly love when diversity surprises me into seeing reality differently. This is one of the many reasons I continue to be inspired by Partner Yoga, as it is such a unique and diverse experience each time we practice.

Every moment we are alive is a unique experience but too often we don’t notice because we are lost in thought. Simply having our partner present with us brings us back to here and now.

I really appreciated the recent circle at Kripalu which included a diverse and fluid of expression of gender, an arena in which humans are often polarized. 

The truth is we all contain a continuum of masculine and feminine energies. Partner Yoga is a playground to nurture and celebrate the full spectrum of these qualities in ourselves and others, regardless of how they are expressed.

Unfortunately we often get stuck in our limited perspective because we simply are not exposed, in an up close and personal way, to people that appear different from us. As a result, instead of delight and curiosity about our differences, we feel afraid.

Living here in Hot Springs, Arkansas this past year has provided surprising insight into the current polarization of our social / political culture. I was surprised to realize prejudice in myself that I wasn’t even aware of and am grateful for this opportunity to learn from people who I had made untrue assumptions about.

I truly believe all humans want the same thing – to feel safe, happy and free. I also believe we can shift the current climate, social and environmental, simply by being open to new perspectives. When we are willing to truly listen to those with different views than our own we learn a lot, about them and ourselves.

It is easier and and certainly more comfortable to believe our view is the best view, but we are in this together, every voice matters. Learning from and celebrating our differences is a lot more fun than using them to divide us.

The most empowering perspective I know is to see, for real, how change begins with me.