It's International Yoga Day! It's also the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. Summer is officially here in a big way, and though this time brings lots of energy and fullness, I tend to like to slow down this time of year and spend a lot of time with myself.

I started my journey to become a yoga teacher about 18 months ago, but my relationship with yoga began about 10 years before. In high school, I'd spend my summers on my yoga mat trying poses from "The Yoga Bible," which I think is currently out of print. I learned tree pose, I tried meditation, I did sun salutations, and I imagined a life where I was some sort of artist or yoga teacher. I give the credit to the magic of the universe for bringing that deep desire to fruition in my life.

What is yoga though, after the "Namaslay" racerback tank tops and excessive Instagram posts?

Yoga is connection. Yoga is mindfulness. Yoga is cultivating a relationship of understanding both within yourself and with the universe at large.

Yoga gives me energy when I need it. Yoga gives me peace when I need it. Yoga gives me confidence when I need it. Yoga gives me balance, or at least the illusion of it, when I need it. Yoga gives me clarity when I need it. Mostly, yoga gives me order when I feel chaotic. It is a center, a home that I can always go back to, that cures me over and over again.

People say all the time that they don't like this or that about yoga. They aren't flexible so they can't do it. You should know, there were times in my life that I couldn't touch my toes, and yoga helped me get there. Even today, I can't handstand away from a wall. I can't hold a wheel pose for more than a few breaths. In fact, I don't think my hips are predisposed to be very flexible. I'm not into gurus or chanting either, but yoga is still part of my core being. Yoga is for everyone, every type of body. It's beauty is it's inclusivity and it's reward is a positive relationship with your whole self. So try it, try it, and try it again. Find your yoga. The rewards are immeasurable.