The distractions were everywhere: music from stereos, cheering from behind, the massage lady hollering out names of next-in-lines. Exciting and fun? Absolutely. Calming and centering? Not so much. I bet even my fave breathe-and-flow teacher, the inspirational Max Strom, would have been challenged.

But this wasn’t a yoga studio. This was the Weekend to End Breast Cancer. And I was there to lead some short stretching sessions, when the exhausted, aching, and elated participants arrived, post 30-km walk.

They didn’t have mats. They didn’t have loose clothing. They didn’t have any experience.

But they did it, and they all did just fine. Because in the midst of the chaos, even the newest newbies made an effort to tune into and follow their breath. And that’s all it took. They weren’t transformed–not in 15 minutes–but I know for sure most of them felt better: looser, calmer, a bit more energized.

Take-Away Yoga Tip: We come back to it again and again. Sure, we do it every day, but we don’t do it well. Breathe. Let’s breathe breathe breathe, and deeply.