Well so much for my commitment to keep a blog rather than a diary - its been rather like my yoga practice this week - non-existent. Its not that I haven't 'done' any yoga (I have taught 12 classes this week) its just my personal practice to be more precise
What is yoga anyway?
It means union, to join together, or 'yoke' - mind, body, soul - to be more aware of the body, emotions, to be in the moment, to have a sense of contentment, and awareness of the impact one has on the world in general and on other beings.
Oh well, maybe I have not done too badly after all. I might not have gone into the studio and practised perfect physical postures, but I have lived life in a yogic way. Accepting the challenges the week brought -
my doggie Jasper has a bad hip, he can't jump on and off the sofa or bed and can't walk up and downstairs at present :-( I have been carrying him so he rests as much as possible (and walks are banned for a few days too)
Dads just completed second round of chemo, skin falling off his feet, very unpleasant side-effects
Mums ill now - very high calcium levels in the body, doctor can't understand why she has not collapsed and been admitted to hospital! (On No please no more hospital visits!)
one of my brothers has to have minor ENT surgery next Thursday (groan hospital again - am praying it goes well and he gets home the same day - fingers crossed)
one of my pregnancy students gave birth at 32 weeks and baby is now in St Peters neo-natal ward (hospital again!) I have been lighting a candle and we have all been sending her positive and loving thoughts
another of my pregnant students is hoping to be back in her home after being a nomad for a month , major renovations have run over and then the boiler just blew up! (she's keeping legs crossed too and wants baby to be 2 weeks late!)
not heard from my son (no news is good news) am hoping things are well in his life in Leeds and that he passed his last year exams - fingers crossed again
my house is total chaos! when do i fit in housework?
like me, loads of students continually have 'stuff' going on in their lives, its often quite relentless,
So, what gets us all through? Yoga.
Yoga has always been my lifeline - every aspect of it, going to class, home practice, breathing and relaxation techniques, meditation, treating others as you would like to be treated yourself, laughter, sharing, a sense of community and support - all things I encourage and foster in my classes. A couple of new students have commented on how lovely the people in class are, that they have never before had an opportunity to get to know anyone in a yoga class, or had the sense of companionship, caring, compassion and camaraderie. Previous ones have been quite a solitary experience - but in this world of stress, fast paced living, spread out and fragmented families, we need a sense of community, caring and belonging more than ever
Quote for the week when 'stuff' happens to you -
'Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass.......its about learning to dance in the rain'
Whats your favourite quote? Or way of seeing the challenges of life?
Om shanti
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