The leaves are finally popping, we are finally able to wake up to the sounds of birdsong outside, and winter is firmly in the past once again. Does anyone else feel themselves come back to life with the trees every spring, or is it just me? This is one time of year when instead of dreading change, we embrace it wholeheartedly. Perhaps knowing that summer is fleeting and that winter always comes again makes this warmth all the more precious to us Northerners. Impermanence can act as both a gift and a source of suffering, depending on your attachment to the thing that is changing, can’t it?
Business has been slow recently; my yoga classes, which used to fill every night, are often at half capacity lately. At the beginning of class I find myself more and more often looking out the front window, waiting for students who signed up but never arrived. When I started this business, I knew there would be slow times, and I’ve weathered a few in the past two years; people come and go just like the seasons. However, I am never prepared for the number of clients who pay for classes that they do not attend, some of whom register over and over again and never step across the threshold. While my cancellation policy protects me from losing money in these instances, it still saddens me to miss out on the person I could have practiced with and I remain hopeful that they will someday make it into a class.
I try to practice acceptance through the disappointments, knowing with the wisdom of past experience that there is a cycle at play, and that numbers rise and fall like the tides. I take immense joy in the clients who continue, those who are dedicated to their practice and themselves. I remain flexible and ready to flow in the direction that is laid for me, grateful that I have a life that allows for me to bend and weave as things change. I try new things, play, and live. Yoga is a joy whether I am doing it alone or in front of a packed studio. A private class session or a community class on the beach or in a field, I am always left feeling buoyant from my teaching, so I know this is my calling regardless of the many iterations my journey may take.
With that being said, I am making some more changes to the class schedule in June, as I try to react to the needs and requests of my community:
Restorative Yoga is BACK to Saturday mornings. Who knew that nobody wanted to blast their booty at 9 am on a Saturday? Haha! I now understand that Saturday mornings are precious and that most of us had too much wine the night before and need a gentler wake-up. I am here for it, and I am sorry I tried to make you do squats on the weekend. Starting June 3rd, let’s get back to that beautiful, restorative vibe on Saturdays.
Thursdays are goners. The 4 pm class was designed for those of you who requested after-school yoga, as a more convenient time for my teacher and mom yogis, and those of you who work local but don’t live local. As it turned out, it seems like this time didn’t work for many of you, either, so I’m scrapping it in June. This month, I will keep May 18th and May 25th open, just in case anyone changes their mind before Thursdays become a thing of the past. Sometimes we have to try new things, and sometimes they don't work out and we have to let them go.
Yin will remain on Tuesdays at 7 pm, and Vinyasa Flow will remain on Wednesdays at 6 pm. Let’s not go crazy; these classes are super fun even though they are complete opposites, I love them and I love you and this is working for us. Let’s keep it up. Access your higher self with long, slow, supported stretching and guided meditation on Tuesdays and then get your cardio in on Wednesday nights; it’s the best of both worlds.
I am FINALLY pulling the trigger on a combo yoga/crystals/oils class, as long promised! I am opening a NEW seven-week series which will focus on the Chakra energy system. Each one hour class will include a short informational talk, yoga practice, meditation, and instruction on how to use essential oil aromatherapy and crystals to accentuate your practice. Each class includes a Chakra crystal and a full-size essential oil roller for each student as we work our way through the system. Classes will be held on Mondays from 6-7:00 pm in June and July. This is a COURSE, so it is a one-time sign up which automatically enrolls you in all seven classes. It’s designed to suit all ages, bodies, and levels of experience, with accessible language, a secular perspective, and gentle yoga where the use of supports and modifications is encouraged. I love working with the Chakra system and I know that many of us use oils and crystals in our personal practice, so this was a no-brainer!
This morning I took my daughter to the orthodontist, where she is in the process of getting her braces removed; a very welcome change! On our way home, I slowed down to check on the progress of the house being built next to ours; this change is not so much my favorite. I am reflecting now on how neither of those things are actually good or bad, they are just different; it is just my attachment to certain ways of being, the stories my mind tells itself about these events, which create feelings of joy or suffering. I want my daughter to finish having braces, so this event makes me happy. I do not want a house next door, so this event brings me unhappiness. So then, the cause of my joy and/or suffering is not the events themselves, but ME; I am the cause. Of course, it is easier said than done to simply let go of wanting (or not-wanting, which is just the other side of the same coin), but it begins with simply being aware of the origins of our emotions. From there, perhaps we can begin to step away from attachment, inviting more acceptance into our lives.
Soon, the mosquitoes will be out, for many of you school will be out, and summer will be in full swing. No matter how you choose to enjoy, learn, or care for yourself this summer (although in my opinion, taking a yoga class is the best way), make sure you take the time to reflect on where your joy originates, and apply that wisdom to all aspects of your life as you change, grow, and experience this crazy human life. Because everything changes, nothing is permanent.

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