There are so many people who influenced my path and although Romana was not my first teacher she was the most profound.  She taught me more than a list of exercises She taught me what it felt like to inspire someone to do things they never dared before and made me do those exact things myself.  She taught me that teachers make mistakes too, like the time she told me she'd been teaching the Long Spine Massage wrong for "years".  She taught me that the student teacher relationship is often the root of complete transformation  - for both parties. She taught me to say less and do more - and to teach my students to do so.  

 

She taught me that sometimes there's just no way around it - as she said when she handed me a list of moves to memorize on my first visit to her studio.  And she taught me that sleep is over-rated  - as she proclaimed almost daily to her yawning charges - "you can sleep when you're dead.".

She taught me to teach with grace, elegance and integrity and she asked me to honor her teachings beyond the doors of her studio.  I am thankful every day for the gift of her tutelage.  

In writing this I guess the truth is she will always be there - in spirit, in our words and in our bodies.  And now, today, with that thought - I'm finally able to catch my breath again.