A GOOD EXPERIENCE . . .

The meeting of a good portion of yoga studio owners in the SL Valley went well (8 of perhaps 12-14 showed up). After talking about the issue(s) facing us, tasks were assigned, results will be compiled, and we'll meet again. I'm pleased everyone could come together creating a supportive, cohesive group. (This sounds like we were enemies before; not the case - it was more that we were just distant from one another. All doing similar things, but in our own little worlds.)

Gentle Yoga yesterday went well. I was able to try out some of the hip stuff I'd been thinking of. One new person, and he was able to quickly grasp the movements.

I have a 'ritual', so to speak, in the morning. Turn coffee on, turn computer on, get a cup of coffee. Then the first place I go on the internet is to Facebook. It does become addicting to see what everyone's been up to the previous 24 hrs. Lots of pictures are showing up from the Wanderlust Festival (music, yoga, etc., at Lake Tahoe) -- looks like it was fun and, maybe, an attempt to re-create some of that free hippie feeling of the 60's/70's.

Since I was living through those days as a teenager/young adult, re-visiting would be fun but not vital. Kind of like 'been there, done that'. Though, I was never a true hippie (FYI, my father was an Air Force pilot; any kind of unconventional activity would have been out of line, if you get my drift.)

Why tell you all this? Well, perusing the photos from Wanderlust led me to an album of a VERY accomplished yogini. In one of the photos, she was so beautifully 'wound up' in a pose that it was hard to tell from what angle it was shot (front/back/side?). Finally figured it out.

Looking at those kinds of photos gives me pause. Makes me wonder why I'm doing all this -- because, I'm not sure I've enough time left in this lifetime to get into that kind of pose.

I reflect on my words to a class full of people my age and a bit older -- 'why pursue challenge? because it's fun, brings awareness, gives us a greater knowledge of ourselves, makes us more confident'. I do wonder sometimes whether they are listening and thinking -- 'I've seen enough challenge and fun, in my life; I just want to stretch!'

But, here's the rub -- we all need challenge; no matter how much we've seen in our lives. It may be that I am pursuing all this, because I need a challenge (those elusive poses, all the reading, all the study & practice, and stretching emotionally & spiritually beyond long-held boundaries). And, I know that I can communicate to a group of 60+ year-olds the value of challenge in a very plausible way.

Therefore, I am needed and I will be valued for what I can offer to students who are stiffer, a bit older, have injuries -- there's a lot ot be said for 'been there - done that'.

So much for this pep talk to myself.

Enjoy your day,