Keeping our Yoga Journey Fresh and Interesting!

Dear Yoga Friends,

Isn’t it fascinating that the more we start to learn the more we realize there is to discover! We might once have thought we sign up for a yoga course, learn how to do yoga, and then we’re done. And then we dive in and begin to explore, and realise the exploring is endless! On our yoga mats we are essentially exploring the human condition… and how we might live a full, rich life in peace and with ease… and of course the human mind is endlessly fascinating, the human body capable of so much more than we could ever imagine ourselves to be. Our learning journey is not linear, going from A to B, rather it spirals upwards and outwards as we slowly and patiently build our capacity to be present, intentional, and wise in our thoughts and in our actions.

As your teacher I am both an exercise coach and a guide for the thinking mind. A yoga teacher of 30 years, I have an ever-developing physical practice myself, and dive deep into the science behind healthy patterns of movement and practices to keep us fit and mobile. I continually keep our learnings relevant and current, you’ll notice my recent obsession with strength, with balance, with the prevention of injury, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, because we now realize how important all of that is as we all live longer, more vibrant lives.

For the thinking mind I lean into my studies as a scientist, I have a Masters of Science in Mindfulness. My learning never ends, my own practice continues to develop, how I teach and what I teach evolves slowly as we collectively develop greater calm, greater presence, greater patience, more discernment, more peace.

Tying together the body and the thinking mind is Sylvia’s favourite topic of conversation… the Nervous System! How do we playfully connect with the nervous system… yes, via the breath! I have been learning and trying out breath-work since my own teacher training decades ago, and I find it so fascinating current breath-work practices have come full circle and emphasize simplicity and ease.

We could come to the yoga mat again and again, do the exact same thing, and have a completely different experience and outcome each time. In fact in some yoga traditions, Astanga for example, the exact same poses are done in the exact same sequence in every practice. In our own classes, every time we come to Downward Facing Dog it’s a little different, we might notice or experience something new. Same in child’s pose. Currently in our breath-work practices we are exploring effortlessness, slow and low.

Let’s continue on this trajectory. Every class is a new adventure, an adventure into discovering you! Every class let’s show up with a beginner’s mind. Every class let’s patiently give ourselves permission to begin again, over and over again on the mat. Some of us in the room are heading towards our sixth decade, some of you in your second, third, forth, seventh or eighth! and yet we all have so much to learn, to experience, to let go of, to embrace. Yoga keeps our journey through life fresh and interesting and we are never done learning, lucky us!

The beautiful words of Portia Nelson reflect this, and I’m only realising that this emotional poem is applicable to me over and over again… just as I think I have walked down a different street that damn hole shows up again!

Thank you so much, to all of you, as we walk through this crazy life together, you support me more than you could ever know.

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters – Portia Nelson
Chapter 1. 
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in.
I am lost … I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes me forever to find a way out.

Chapter 2. 
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place
but, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter 3. 
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in … it’s a habit.
my eyes are open
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter 4. 
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter 5. 
I walk down another street.

End.