I'm a community girl. A day where I connect one awesome human I love with another is just about as good as it gets for me. That's why as I went down the more solitary path of teaching for a living and embraced what can be an isolating journey of self inquiry and yoga, maintaining a strong and supportive community has been vital to my soul and sanity. In Buddhism, along with Dharma and Buddha, Sangha (community) is considered one of the three refuges from suffering. In yoga, we herald the importance of sangha as well. As we turn in and face our darkest fears and biggest struggles, we need a tribe to hold us accountable and lift us up. It's also how we stay real. We get to test the spiritual awakenings we have in solitude within real world context. It's humbling, but as each person provides a reflection for us, we get to continue to grow.

I'm always chewing on receiving when it comes to community and support. A colleague once told me that my relationship to my support system was like a funnel. He was comparing my inability to receive to the bottleneck blocking a huge flow trying to get in. He was right. I struggle with receiving. It's easier for me to give. But as I evolve, I'm letting the metaphor evolve with me. A funnel can also be a really smart and efficient way to pour a whole lot of something into a smaller container.

This year has been full of transition. I've had to test my comfort with receiving. And get vulnerable enough to ask for help. I've leaned on my sangha. It's been uncomfortable at times but it has felt really good too. And just this weekend, my community found me my dream apartment. (Yes. In San Francisco. I know! It's like finding a unicorn.) I let the huge outpouring of support from my community flow in. I funneled the love. We all have barriers to letting support and love flow in and out. What stands in your way? If you were receiving/giving support and love in a way that felt like the right amount for you, how would you know? What would it look like? What would it feel like?