There are pine needles on my yoga mat

Image by stevesheriw via Flickr

The Adirondack mountains are covered in pine trees. They are beautiful now, providing contrast to the brown leaves of the hardwoods. In a couple of months their snow-covered branches will sparkle. At their roots are blankets of needles.

As much as I love the pine trees, the needles create a housekeeping challenge. Everyone who comes in, be they human or canine, brings pine needles with them. I sweep needles off the floor daily. This is just part of living in the Adirondacks, and I've accepted it.

I have the same problem at the yoga studio, of course. It seems every time I am in downward facing dog I notice I needle on my mat. I am working on my three-legged down dog because I am compelled to pick the needle off my mat while holding the pose. I am bothered by anything on my mat that doesn't belong. This is my perfectionism spilling into my yoga. Perfectionism comes with the ego, and the ego doesn't belong in my practice.

Perhaps it's time to take my yoga off the mat and out into the pine needles.