Find Your Cobra!

With all the changes in my life this year, I needed yoga more than ever. It’s helping so much. And whenever I start feeling lazy about going to class, I think of my friend Jeff Rose.

Jeff has Friedreich’s Attaxia, a rare neurological condition that slowly paralyzes the body, starting from the extremities. It’s a devastating diagnosis, especially given that it typically comes during childhood.

Jeff has almost no control over his legs and limited use of his arms, so as you may imagine, most yoga poses are not possible for him. However, if you practice with a good instructor, you know that it’s the trying that’s most important, not the results.

And nobody tries harder than Jeff! His signature pose is Cobra, where we push our upper bodies off the floor, stretching the fronts of our bodies from feet to shoulders. It’s one pose Jeff can get into completely on his own, although his devoted caregiver Penny is always nearby.

My point, other than to inspire you a little, is that no matter how challenging life gets (and we’ve all been challenged lately, haven’t we?) there is always something you can do just as well as everyone else.

So find your Cobra! And if you want to learn more about Jeff, he would love it if you joined his 10K+ followers on Instagram  @jeffslemonadestand. Because, when life gives you lemons … find your Cobra!