07/13/2026
Householder Yoga ~ A Story & Pictures
In the yogic tradition, one path is that of the householder ~ living a spiritual life while caring for home, family, work, and community. This weekend, I found myself joyfully embracing that path in a whole new way and I am discovering that "householder yoga" comes with a whole new set of practices!
As a brand-new homeowner, I am discovering there are many things I never knew I needed to know!
I learned how to put together my very first ShopVac. I figured out how to use my electric drill to open and close the hot water heater compartment. I scrubbed porch walls, mopped the deck, cleaned years of dust (and yes...mouse droppings!) from around the water heater, and found myself smiling through every new lesson.
Who knew homeownership could be such an adventure?
In the middle of all that work, I wandered over to Stumptown Nursery in Guerneville, (my new favorite spot, along with the hardware store!), and spent about an hour talking with Dorothy, the owner, about plants that love shade, plants that love sun, and imagining how this little corner of the property might blossom over the coming seasons.
By Sunday morning my body had something to say. After all that lifting, scrubbing, bending, carrying and learning, it wasn't asking for another project. It was asking for asana, pranayama, and dhyana.
I'm so grateful that I know how to move this body in so many ways...to stretch...to bend forward, backward, side to side, and rotate. Releasing the stiffness, the kinks, the soreness. How to breathe deeply. And perhaps most importantly, how to become still.
All aspects of yoga, (the physical practice, a nourishing vegan diet, mantra, mudra, meditation, and the wisdom of the Yoga Sutras), help me to live my life, whether I'm teaching a class, learning a new skill, caring for my home, or simply listening when it's time to pause.
Thanks for reading!
with love,
Kashi
