Recently I had an "aha" while watching the weather report on television. The reporter was explaining that when the wind from the north and the Gulf Stream come together in a certain way the result is more snow in New York City! Usually I ignored that part of the weather report and just waited to be briefed so that I could plan my next day's outfit. Suddenly I realized that weather is like yoga practice. It's all about conditions coming together and the possible outcomes that can result.
After many years of practice I think of yoga as a process of understanding myself and others through the vehicle of my body. Watching my body move in and out of energetic and neurological patterns with purposeful attention is similar to what a weather reporter does with the weather. By paying close attention to my body, mind, and breath, I have learned to recognize the different patterns that arise, (i.e. this grouping will create rain) and then make appropriate choices (I need an umbrella). I don't know in advance what will actually manifest, but choosing to be open, patient, and fascinated by life's events is what carries me through.
— Cyndi Lee, Will Yoga & Meditation Really Change My Life? by Stephen Cope