A New Way to Listen

Being of Integrity

New York Yoga - Vinyasa Basics (Thursday, July 15, 2010)

This class was so eye opening on so many levels. 

Using one of my many yoga certificates, this was my first time at this studio. Liked the instructor right away, sweet, soft spoken (like me), but you could feel her strength and passion for teaching. The first thing she asked was “What do you want from your practice today?”

Hmmm, had to ponder that.

If you have followed this blog from the beginning, you know that much has happened since the beginning of my yoga journey and I am not the same woman that stepped on to the mat ten years ago and my body is definitely not the same. What I wanted was acceptance, acceptance of myself, to know I am exactly where I should be.

This class was interesting, because although it is titled as a basics class, it a mix of students at all levels. So you were able to see the different variations of the poses depending on where each student was in their practice. It gave me a sense of respect for each person’s journey and my own.

During sun salutations she poses a challenge to the class that must be directed only to me "keep the same integrity that you had at the beginning through out." Wow. I heard this so deeply, because not only did I know that by the third sequence I was tired and frankly cheating just to get through it. But I had to ask myself, where else am I cheating myself in my life, when else do I start something with passion and excitement and when the going getting tough, just do enough to get by? The instructor walked around the class offering adjustments and realignments, finally she gets to me. Suddenly my instructor, my dear sweet faced, soft spoken instructor does not seem so sweet. Her realignment of my downward dog makes my arms work more and therefore hurt more, but I appreciated it, because I did not want to cheat anymore, I wanted and did from that point forward give my best.

Today's Yoga Reflection: My desire is to be a being of integrity.

I love being me.

Om Yoga - Basics (July, 2010)

 

I was super excited that one of the free certificates from last month’s NYC events was to Om Yoga because as I mentioned in my Intro post, my yoga practice was sparked by receiving an Om Yoga in Box set 10 years ago.  It was only fitting that the Om Yoga offer was the first I chose to use.

First impressions – the studio is beautiful, calming and huge. It was like walking through a maze trying to find the ladies changing room. Some of dimly lit (or as I like to think of it romantic lighting) hallways were lined with yoga mat storage shelves while others displayed cases of Om Yoga books and other materials to occupy restless people like me waiting for their class to start. I even found my precious Yoga in A Box taking me on memory lane to my yoga beginnings.

This is a blog from the perspective of a Black yogini, so I will mention that as I waited for class to start I noted the absence of my Black yogi counterparts. While I am no stranger to being the only Black person in the room, or person of color period, since my yoga experience has been centered either in a Harlem based studio or at home and this being my first class in a downtown studio, I found myself wondering as I often do when flipping through yoga magazines “Where we at?” More on this to follow because I believe it’s a conversation worth having. 

Today's Yoga Reflection:  I love being me.

Be grateful for other’s blessings, when they win, you win!

Yoga at the Great Lawn (Tues, June 22, 2010)

I spent the morning at my son’s Pre-K graduation and the proud mama I am was ready to celebrate motherhood with yoga. The stars were perfectly aligned for yoga in New York this week. The day after the Times Square event, Flavorpill presented the Yoga at the Great Lawn event. A record breaking feat of 10,000 yogis and yoginis practicing at the same time in Central Park. Incredible.

Getting into the event was an adventure in itself. After making it to the Central Park West entrance my friends and I were greeted by a massive line that meandered up, down and around the paths of the park. It did not look promising at all, there was not much time before the start of the event and when the line finally started to move it merged with another line of frustrated yogis and yogettes (as my friend loving calls us women). Just when I thought we were going to miss out on an opportunity for an outdoor class as well as the free yoga mat and bag (I really needed a new one) my friend graciously offered us entry as her husband’s (a performer at the event) special guests. Long story short, our whole party finally made it, we got our goodies and JetBlue mats stamped "Be True to Yourself and You Will Always Be Rewarded.”

As the rain clouds hovered above, we got settled, started on our goodies (yes after all that waiting we were hungry) and the program finally got started. Though the first rain drops didn’t deter us, unfortunately, while my group and the other 10,000 people in the lawn were able to chant and do one sun salutation sequence -which was beautiful to see done in unison with so many people- the event was shut down due to the impending storm. The rain that we hoped would pass, released in its full glory and it was definitely time to pack up. Finding creative uses for our new mats as rain hats and ponchos, a sea of what were just moments before yoga classmates waded out of Central Park, jumping over puddles and trying to find the best routes home. With hurried kisses and hugs goodbye, our friend circle dispersed and I went to back to my dry apartment, to snuggle with my husband and Kindergarten bound baby.

Today's Yoga Reflection: Be grateful for other’s blessings, when they win, you win!

When an opportunity you have been waiting for arises, rise to the opportunity!

Solstice in Times Square - Bikram Yoga (Mon, June 21, 2010)

Have you ever gotten an email about an event and you didn't really read the whole thing in a normal sequence, only certain words stood out like a flashy PowerPoint presentation?

FREE! YOGA! BIKRAM! NOON! TIMES SQUARE! SOLSTICE!

My response: YES! I'M THERE!

That is what I experienced when I got an e-vite to the Yoga in Times Square event. Never mind it was in the middle workday, I had it all worked out. I would take a long lunch since I my job was 5 blocks away from Times Square, wear a dress for easy access to my yoga clothes underneath and bring my yoga mat (scratch that- yoga mat too obvious, bring a towel in my bag instead). I even convinced my work buddy to join me, in hindsight I probably should have considered that she is a yoga novice and Bikram is a challenge even for those who have been practicing for years.

We were a bit late, but we made it. The up side to our tardiness – we missed standing in a long line; the down side - there were only spots left on the edge of the yoga space, which meant being exposed to the curious camera ready tourists and New Yorkers (yikes!) walking by.

Despite my initial discomfort and distraction due to the photo-click happy people on the sidelines, I had a great time and felt grateful to experience Bikram as it is meant to be experienced in the natural heat under the rays of a summer sun. I felt as I always did with Bikram, powerful and free, at times in amazement that we were in the middle of Times Square. Yes there are yellow cabs driving by, tons of people and concrete under our mats (or towels), but we're New Yorkers, so what! Proud of myself that even with a long break from yoga practice I could still do most of the poses and even prouder of my friend who was holding her own as a first timer, I sweated away my stress. We happily collected our freebies, water, snacks, and tons of free certificates to yoga studios all over the city (Yay! to Divine timing), then gingerly limped to the bus stop back to work. I couldn't think of a better way to bring in the solstice.

Today's Yoga Reflection: When an opportunity you have been waiting for arises, rise to the opportunity!

Intro

My relationship with yoga started about 10 years ago when I "accidentally" received a "Yoga in a Box" set for beginners developed by Om yoga founder Cyndi Lee. If you are not familiar with yoga in a box it includes instructional CDs, pose Flash cards, a yoga belt, a candle, incense and incense holder. How I attracted this gift I am not sure, but I put it to use right away and enjoyed it thoroughly. I would light the incense, place the flash cards in circle in my living room and do the poses in the center of that circle as a I intently listened to the CD.

As we know when on the right path everything is provided easily and perfectly so soon after my surprise intro to yoga I met Caren Calder, Integral yoga instructor, dancer, musician and Mom extraordinaire during a community African dance class in Harlem. I followed Caren wherever she held classes, loved and still love her energy and demeanor. Caren's class was just what I needed, her class is unique in that while it consists of yoga staples of pranayama (breathing), asanas (poses), and meditation she also incorporates the Five Tibetan Rites aka fountain of youth exercises which are quite challenging. I remember being sore for several days after my first class. During my favorite part class in savasana (relaxation or corpse pose) it felt like my tension was released through all the hard work I just did and everything just fell away, leaving only what was really important. I always left Caren's class lighter as if whatever issue was weighing me down before class was no longer much of a big deal.

Fast forward to the present: Since those early yoga days I have married, had a son and focused on my career in the nonprofit sector. In the spirit of good karma I gave away my cherished yoga in a box (can't remember to who) hoping it would be a good start to their own yogic journey as it was for mine. My yoga practice did not get the same attention it once did, with the occasional home practice and sporadic classes here and there over the years. For the past few years something special has been happening to me, I am feeling the call to let my creative spirit free. My intention is use my yoga practice to anchor my transformation as I lay down tracks for another creative phase of my life. This blog is my record of how it all unfolds.