Let me ask you something....

"Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?" - God (played by Morgan Freeman) from the movie Evan Almighty

I love this movie & I love this quote...and I'm not even comfortable with the whole "God" thing.  (You can substitute in "the Divine", "Universe" - whatever works better for you).

Sometimes we ask for alot - as well we should.  We are all children of the Universe & Nature & abundance is ours for the asking.

But sometimes, what we ask for doesn't arrive in quite the way we expect it.  And we wind up complaining about it.  That gift that you are expecting may not arrive wrapped in bright paper & ribbons with your name written in big letters on it.  Instead, it might be lying in a ratty old brown bag on the sidewalk.  If you're not present & you're not paying attention, you might just trip over it & keep on going. 

Yoga is a great place to practice everything you are asking for.  Be it patience, love, compassion, balance, strength, focus, abundance....the list goes on & on.

Every challenge that you encounter on your mat gives you the opportunity to practice finding, experiencing & receiving whatever you are asking for in your life.

Don't be afraid to ask - and ask for alot. Ask for abundance.  Ask for love.  Ask for joy.  But then, be ready to practice finding (and receiving) it in the most challenging moments on & off your mat.