Saturday, March 2, 2013

To my students, with love & gratitude -

I can't explain it except to say, I fall in love every time I teach a yoga class. 

I fall in love with the human spirit.  Its softness, its impulse toward self protection and self care, its impulse toward pushing forward and growing, its stumbling, its falling out of tree pose and head-shaking tongue-clicking disappointment and trying to rush back in again.. over and over.  Or the giving up and being still, and knowing, "not today."  I love the hopeful effort and the "probably not, but I'll try," and I watch you try,and I cheer for you, whether you succeed or not, I cheer for your trying. I love the "my god, I did it." I love the "nope, still can't do it." I love your serious faces when I ask you to "shake your branches in the breeze." Like pretending to be a tree was to be taken very very seriously, and to fall short of proper tree-ness was not something to be taken lightly.  And I love the "ahh finally" sigh  when I guide you into deep relaxation. Or the "oh god this better not be too long, please let her talk me through" and the "why is she still talking, I want to be quiet." What I am trying to say is.. you, each of you, every one of the people that have unfolded their mats in front of me, have been some of the most endearing and amazing people I have ever met.  


In the course of a class we have shared a whole range of experiences, from dread to relief, from disappointment to hope, and we have built sacred trust. I do not take it lightly. I am moved. 


I have seen you fall and I have watched you lift.  I have seen you rest and I have seen you struggle through. And I have experienced it all by your side.   I too have fallen out of tree pose and looked around to see if anyone noticed. I too have said, no, my body will never enter that pose, and I too have wondered if I was any less for not being able to enter it.  I too wondered if I was lovable even in my fumbling falling-short of expectations.  You are... and there are no expectations.  I am merely here offering possibilities for experiences.  Trust, you will have the perfect experience for you if you honor yourself. It is your body that is your teacher, it is your spirit that guides you, I merely offer suggestions. I merely stand in the front of the room and watch as you unfold yourself, and follow the path that your spirit takes you on. And I look on in awe.  And I learn, and I share the space of growth, and I get inspired. 


I hope you are inspiring yourselves.  Because every time you show up, you show up for you.  Every time I show up, I show up for me.  And some how, we meet each other. If we go deep enough within ourselves, we find each other.  I have found you all deep within me, I recognize the light we share.  And I want you to know. You are amazing and I am more amazing for you being a part of my life. Thank you. 


Thank you for sharing the experience, and thank you for the trust that you have placed in me as you allow me to guide you through. You are my blessing.

1 comment:

  1. thank you very much for allowing us to join in with your wonderful classes & teachings!
    meeting & knowing you has added so much to our lives.

    ReplyDelete