A few weeks ago at the beginning of yoga class, the instructor asked the class to plug in. She wasn’t talking about plugging in our computers or our cell phone chargers; she wanted us to plug our minds into our yoga practice. We were being asked to feel the heat in our bodies as we went through our asanas and to plug into what our bodies were telling us. She wanted us to plug into the present and fully embrace the yoga experience.

I think my yoga extension cord may have a factory defect. My internal surge protector sometimes fails me, leaving my mind to plug into other things, like everything I didn’t get done that day or the shower gift I need to buy after class or why I can’t bend my elbows the way I need to in crow pose. Being fully present in yoga class is a challenge.

I think I may just draw a picture of an electrical socket on the top of my yoga mat to serve as a mental reminder to be fully present during class. When I do I can feel the prana my body and breath generates as it courses through my muscles and spine like an electrical current. I’m not focusing on how much time is left in class, but focusing, instead, on my breath, the graceful and purposeful movement of my hands in my mudra, every move perfectly choreographed as I embrace the dancing yogini I want to be.

At the end of class, when we got into savasana, the instructor repeated the request to plug in again. I always thought savasana was the time to unplug and check out, but really focusing on how my body felt and sealing in my practice brought a whole new meaning to savasana.

The cool thing about plugging into your yoga practice is that you don’t need to worry about conserving energy or having a higher bill if you leave the lights on. The more you connect to your mind and body, the more amazing your yoga practice becomes.