One of my favorite health and wellness podcasts is the Rich Roll podcast. I have been listening to Rich for quite awhile and love his long form interview format. His interview style is heartfelt and inquisitive, and I always appreciate his generosity of spirit and curiosity.

In a recent episode, he interviewed his wife, Julie Piatt. Julie is a powerhouse in her own right. She's a yoga teacher, entrepreneur, and spiritual guide. Interviews with Julie are always juicy, inspiring, and go right to the top of my podcast queue. 

At the top of their last episode together, Rich began by asking Julie, "what's been lighting you up lately?" The phrasing of this question struck me. Doesn't it seem a little more inspiring than asking or being asked, "how are you?"

Asking "what's lighting you up?," is inviting another to share their heart with you. To share what they have been noticing or thinking about or wrestling with. Asking this kind of question shows a desire to go deeper than the surface and a general curiosity into another's inner life.

There are so many things I love about teaching yoga, but one of those things is that teaching a class is a long form conversion. It may not always involve a direct verbal back and forth with our students, but it does involve a somatic back and forth and a flow of reciprocal energy. As teachers, we can check in with ourselves to ask, "what has been lighting me up lately?" And then use whatever arises as an answer to fuel our teaching.

Additionally, we can use "what has been lighting you up," to forge community with our students and fellow teachers. Students come to class because they are seeking connection and community with like minded folks. Inviting them into conversation with this phrase could be just what we need to encourage our students to dive deeper into their yoga and to take their practice off of their mat and into their lives.