Do you remember this game?
Tonight was rather chilly but that did not stop 25 people from showing up to my yoga class. :)
There was no plan, I didn't arrive to the class with a mapped out set of moves or specific sequence for tonight. I walked in introduced myself, said hello and then lets go!
We started in child's pose and I selected the song 'Om Shanti' by Sharon Gannon to lead the practice. Everyone breathe in the word Shanti which means peace. Lets give ourselves permission to find peace within our breath, within each move we take as well as peace of mind tonight.
So after a quiet moment and a few deep breaths we start moving. The play list is on shuffle because sometimes I just like to see what we get. The next song was Anthony Hamilton and Jill Scott 'So In Love' about 30 seconds into the song Anthony says "I'm so in Love with you." I tell my class to bring love into their bodies, to feel love for themselves the same way they do for that special someone, a spouse, partner, friend, parent, child, pet etc. You should have that same feel good feeling, those butterflies in your belly kind of love about yourself. Allow your facial expression to let that love shine all over your face. And right as I said it a view people smiled, their eyes lit up, I even got a few chuckles.
Peace and Love became the theme of the class which lead to lots of hip and heart openers. Taping into our first and fourth chakra's. Releasing stress from work, family, friends, daily activities, emotional buildup, etc etc aka LIFE!
As I brought the class to an end 'Ordinary People' by John Legend began to play. I stressed the words of the song, Take it Slow - literally honoring my class for being willing tonight to slow down. To find a deep appreciation with their minds and bodies for who and what they are. I gave them permission to let go of judgement. Asking them to breath in the words Let an out the word Go.
Especially being in NYC- talk about competition, lots to do aka distractions. I asked are you always on the go? Do we try to live up to certain expectations or can be allow ourselves to be "ordinary"? There is nothing wrong with ordinary. Is your life like being on a NYC subway train, watching the sights zip by? Taking time to slow down, we're able to cultivate more self love and peace.
Right before Savasana, final relaxation, I put the class in a big heart and hip opener, Reclining butterfly. As they lay legs/hips open, arms slightly over head heart and chest open to the sky I asked each student to close your eyes. Go inward and remember that feeling of Love and Peace that we started the class with. Lie here and except vulnerability, be willing to just BE. Be accepting of the opportunities that the body has revealed tonight and the gifts the universe has to offer.
At the end I received some thank yous, great class and a just what I needed. It always makes me feel good to give my class what they need especially without know exactly what that is when I walk in. But tonight was deeper for me and one person in particular.
One of my students rode the subway with me home. She expressed her gratefulness for class and how she needed it. Then she vocalized how her BFF said "I'm worried about you." So of course I asked why is your BFF worried about you?
She did her best effort in explaining but then finally just said, "I have to admit when you mentioned the word vulnerability today it hit my heart, I instantly opened my eyes and could not close them again. My BFF said today that I was running from myself. Honestly I am afraid of myself and my own emotions. I try to keep people at a distance because its better that way. And I don't know what to do."
Keeping people at a distance huh - Is that really better? As she approached her stop I said remember what I said in class tonight. You have to find that in-love feeling for yourself. Once you love yourself unconditionally then you will be willing and open to loving someone else and vice versa. Then vulnerability will not be so scary. The very thing we run from is what we need to work on.
As the trained pulled off I wanted to yell: Own it! Live it! Be in love with yourself girl! Not the vain in love but in love with who you were before. In love with what you have become now and be willing to love what you will become as life continues.
Lets take a moment to say I love you!
Have there been mistakes, sure! But instead of thinking Mistake... I think of it as life experience. A learning opportunity. Life is a journey and every step we make is another lesson in learning more about who we are at this moment and will mold us into who will become in the next.
Do I ever look back and think "man if i knew then what I know now I wouldn't have or would have done XYZ." Of course I do, but if I knew then what I know now I wouldn't be where or who I am today! The same way taking on a new language or sport isn't easy at first. The more time we put in to it, aka the more we practice the better we get. But you have to be in it to win it. Which means in order to grow, to know love and peace you have to be willing to experience! Being willing leads to being open, being open leads to understanding and understanding leads to love.
Don't let past experience or thoughts of what people "think" you should be or have done define you.
Like Shakespeare said: To thine own self be true! Life is stage, you can be the star of your production or the best extra ever!
And like I told my student: When you love yourself - then you can willingly and openly love someone else and more importantly be open to except their love in return.
We are never going to be perfect which means we are always working at being the best we can be at this moment and moment to moment things change, we change, transform, evolve if you will.
At the end of the day Love Yourself is the Secret as spoken by my dear friend Robert.
And when you have Love you have Peace!
As typed from my mind and inspired by my students.
Taj
photo: courtesy of Facebook - I honestly have not idea where it came from. But I am going to print this out and put at my desk. :)
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