New Year's Revelations Ring out the old, ring in the true
"Our job is not to find out what is wrong and fix it. Our job is to find out what is right and spread it." -- Guru Singh
Thank you to everyone who joined in the New Year's Eve candlelight meditation! It was a beautiful experience and whether you attended in body or spirit, your presence was felt.
As I spend this week adjusting to 2012 -- mostly by scratching out 2011 every time I mistakenly write it down as the date -- I'm aware that I am very excited about the opportunities ahead of me. I have a new website, new classes, new students and new ways to be of service. I feel very optimistic about the abundance and prosperity available to me this year.
I am also aware that my excitement is a double-edged sword. I will face a perpetual challenge in 2012 to optimize my momentum without pushing myself too hard. It's a tricky business.
Zoe Ruiz, my friend who is a gifted writer, is now teaching for the first time and shared this experience in a recent blog post:
I teach a gentle yoga class but I've noticed there are moments when the class can feel hard for students. Sometimes it's hard to slow down and stay present. Staying present with something as subtle as the inhale and the exhale can be hard. Slowly moving through abdominal exercises can be hard. A gentle yoga class is not always an easy class. I think what makes the class always gentle but not always easy is that we do the work slowly, one step at a time. We do the work softly (the breath, continuing to be long and smooth), with effort but without strain. We accept the work is hard, we accept where we are, we rest if we need. I sincerely hope I can keep those insightful observations in mind as I navigate 2012 both on and off the mat. Click here if you would like to read the rest of Zoe's post. So off we go into the wild blue yonder of 2012! It's going to be a year filled with opportunities in the form of challenges (some unwelcome and unpleasant). It's more important than ever to have methods for neutralizing stress and managing our physical health. Yoga is a great way to meet those needs so don't be shy about trying out a class or two this year. |