I saw a few people have already talked about what their goals are for The Experience...but does any one have any particular postures they are hoping to accomplish during the 30 days?

I would really like to be able to do a full hanumanasana...or get a little bit closer to viparita dandasana.

Goals - such a tricky concept when it comes to yoga. You hear so much about the difference between a goal and an intention but don't they really mean the same thing? I guess if we can be open to the process of reaching a goal, open to that goal changing along the way, then we are talking about an intention. Or is this all just semantics?

Goals are good and necessary and I think we all have specific goals for this month. Last night I was thinking about meditation and what a "meditation practice" really means. Specifically, when does closing your eyes and sitting for 5 minutes become meditation rather than just sitting with your eyes closed for 5 minutes? My goal for this month is to have a bit more insight into that question.

I think that's a great question. When people ask me about yoga and meditation I always have a little trouble explaining the semantics of it all.

As far as meditation goes, I would use the word "intention". I see the word "intention" as more of a passive act-- like noticing your breath and body (which is definitely hard enough for me at times), while a "goal" seems more active-- maybe even tangible-- like running a marathon or mastering a particular asana.

I remember Mitchel talking a lot in the most recent Teacher Training about an aspect of yoga being relationships, when different things come together to form something entirely new. I think that maybe goals and intentions are two different things (like an asana practice and a meditation practice, the mind and the body, the right hand and the left hand, etc.) that come together to form a relationship, that becomes something-- "an Experience"-- if you will-- all on its own.

I'm sure it's different for everyone-- but I guess that's where I'm at.

I see an intention as something you "intend" to put more sincere awareness and effort towards- be it an activity or a person. Where as a goal, to me, is all about the final result. An intention seems more journey oriented. Yoga is all about relationships, binding yourself to a person or activity in the most optimal way. And it all starts with recognizing what truly is optimal for YOU, building a sound base within so that you can interact with the rest of the world with confidence, which believe me, was never a word I used to describe myself before embracing yoga. And still struggle with it- but recognition is the opportunity for change.

I think Asanas are so tangible and that's why we tend to gravitate towards that small part of yoga first. We can get the "feel good" feeling and see results when we commit ourselves to that part of the practice. But when we truly commit to yoga- it is inevitable that our practice starts to spill off the mat and into all areas of our lives. And then, maybe, we can see more opportunities to set intentions, rather than goals. We can enjoy each moment of our lives and not worry too much about reaching a specific end result. But rather, learn from the journey- the choices and efforts made.

On that note- I know that a few minutes of meditations can help me be more calm and patient with my twins for the rest of today, so I intend to do this once I send this off! That is my intention, let's see what choices I make between me hitting the send button and finding a comfortable seat. What ever happens, I will learn from the experience, the journey.