In yoga the other day, we had 15 people. The floor was full of bodies. A new woman spread her mat very close to mine. Hmph!

She flung her strap down and I kept picking it up by mistake. Her arm, with its jangly bracelets- really! jangly bracelets in yoga!- came close to my foot.

How could I pay attention to John, my leader. (Teacher? Guru?) And, besides, instead of minding my own beeswax, as we said in high school, I kept noticing how stiff she was.

How will I ever learn not to notice my neighbors? It’s a rule- don’t pay attention to what others are doing. And no one else notices me. I know, because I see them all focused on themselves, eyes closed.

If I could keep my eyes closed… And she, with the stiff arms and legs who needed yoga didn’t return to any of the Saturday classes.