Desert Island

By Hilary Offenberg, July, 2019

A couple of years ago, one of my favorite and most generous yoga teachers, Heidi Fokine, randomly asked which three poses we would take with us if we were stranded on a desert island. I often think about that very question when I can’t fall asleep at night and create simple rhymes, and it sure beats that antiquated counting sheep exercise. There are plenty of poses I love, and even more that I don’t, but these are the three that I eventually decided to choose.

If I was alone on a small desert isle, surrounded by shells and sand,
I’d relieve my depression and loneliness by practicing a long headstand.
If I was alone on a small desert isle, wondering if life was worthwhile,
I’d practice tarasana for hours on end, just to make my frightened self smile.
If I was alone on a small desert isle, so full of worry and woes,
In the water I’d dip my tired limbs, while practicing uplifting triangle pose.

These are mine, what would yours be? Ask yourself this when you’re up during the night, unable to fall back to sleep. In the meantime, happiness and sweet dreams to the yoga community who has changed my life forever.