Clothing Exchange

Is this Yoga?

Last week I got together with a few girlfriends for our annual clothing exchange. We had the whole evening planned. 6PM at my house for the clothing exchange followed by Full Moon Yoga at 8PM at Spiritual Deli. Well, the clothing exchange took a lot longer than we thought and we were all having so much fun we didn't mind letting go of our original plans (after all the full moon will happen again next month and we can go to the yoga event then).

Here's what we do for the clothing exchange: Each summer we all clean out our closets, bring the bags of things to the host's house, and try to "sell" the discard items to someone else. (We don't actually sell, we give, but I mean we try to get someone else to like what we are getting rid of - talking up its virtues and such.) We've been doing this for about 4 or 5 years now. Some folks come every year, some are new, some miss a year or two.

There's a lot of modeling, giggling and catching up that happens. And we all feel good that we are getting new clothes without buying more new things, and we are clearing out our space of things we don't wear, want or need (or don't fit). Actually the whole experience is a great exercise in practicing the Yamas and Niyamas: nonexcess, nonpossessiveness, self-discipline.

And it's super fun!