David Brooks: Should you live for your résumé ... or your eulogy?

I just stumbled across this video, and it almost had me in tears.  Sometimes I feel a little sad and certainly a little crazy because I'm living differently from the people around me.  From the center of who I am I know that I am here to do good and be good.  I surrender to gain strength, and I'm living from my actual self.  The more I practice, the closer I get.
It's really hard to live from the center of ourselves when everything around us says we must live for success.  Sometimes living for that external success makes us cold and calculated, we give to get instead of give to give.  We must give without expectation, because from the center of ourselves we are here to do good.
I'm not saying that career is unimportant, because it is.  It is a big part of how we move along from day to day.  It provides us with the means to live but it does not define who we are.  I am grateful and blessed to do a job that I absolutely love and continues to thrill me each day.  But aside from being a costumer, I practice being a good human being. 
And through this life, let us be saved by hope, faith, love, and the ultimate love- forgiveness.

H.S Arun visits LA

H. S Arun recently taught a weekend workshop at the LA Iyengar Institute; I attended 2 of the 3 days.  I am currently exploring different teachers and styles (all within the Iyengar umbrella) and have been greatly enjoying what I'm discovering! The paths of Yoga are many and I'm glad to be embarking on mine the way I am. =)
Arun lead class as I've never experienced: he would do a demonstration, the students would do, then he would walk around and make corrections per student, no instructions. Amazing! The practice of yoga is deeply personal, every body is different, and it changes from moment to moment, so to experience such precise and personal adjustments is a true gift.
An endearing moment among many, to me was when he asked my name and he responded with "Vinessa like Vinyasa." Along with adjustments, he came over said "Vinessa!" and would give me two thumbs. At one point, I was hanging off a chair, one leg in the air, arms over head, trying to lift my head to see him because I think I need to change something but he was just giving positive reinforcement.  It makes the practice more enjoyable and is just as important as correcting students.
After Sunday class, I and a few other students had the honor of sharing a meal with Arun.  I listened to him share stories of his family, Indian traditions and societal views, Yoga, and of Guruji B.K.S Iyengar.  I'm so grateful!  This Yoga life is treating me so well and I am not asking for anything different.
He recently celebrated his 60th birthday and his students created a short film about his life, watch it below!  Also, here's a link to his website, Yogashraya.