Now in my 40s, I wake up a little stiff each morning and think about getting older. In the next moment, I am suddenly cooking breakfast, packing lunches, and rushing to take the kids to school. Amidst this frenzied routine one day, I slammed the car door to the yelping of our four-legged family member, Piggie. Because of my thoughtlessness, poor Piggie was inside the car whimpering with her tail poking out from the doorjamb. Ugh. How can I be more conscious of my actions and be “in” the moment? These days, so many people are turning to yoga. Does it really work to pull oneself into the present as well as help with those aches and pains? Ashtanga. Vinyasa. Power. Knowing where to start

Want to try yoga but just can't afford it? Yoga teachers had you in mind when they formed the Yoga Seed Collective. Sacramento's newest yoga studio opened Saturday to bring yoga to a larger audience. The collective takes donations of whatever each person can afford. "I love it," said Sarah Wolfe, a 25-year-old freelance makeup artist, after taking a yoga class Monday morning. "You can relax and have a settled mind knowing you don't have to break the bank to be here." The collective was formed by three yoga teachers: Sara Johnson, Zack Pasillas and Erin Reschke, who now make up the volunteer board of directors. Pasillas was already offering donation-only yoga classes at the Tahoe Park