Tucson- Home Away from Home

Well, one week later I am back in Tucson. Kelly and I flew into Phoenix, rented a car and made our way across the desert to Tucson. We had a nice lunch along the way, a scenic drive through the desert and spent some time with the Anusara Yoga set-up crew before heading over to Yoga Oasis to teach a class. We had about 52 people in class tonight, with a special guest appearance by John Friend. It was pretty fun class, as far as I could tell.

On the way to teach I was thinking that this is the 10th year I have been at this intensive this weekend and Darren just celebrated being the Yoga Oasis studio director for 10 years this last week. So I got to thinking about how when I first met John Friend he looked at me and told me that he would support me. He told me he would help me get certified and help me become a great yoga teacher. And he really made good on the offer. He has answered emails, phone calls, and numerous questions. He has visited me, invited me to his home and he has been unwavering in his support.

But what he did not tell me was that part of his offer of support also involved being supported not just by him, but by a huge community of awesome people who would become a family of sorts. These people would learn all about me- and me about them- and we would laugh and cry and trudge and dance our way through fun times and hard times and challenges and triumphs and so on. And this has been the surprising and awesome thing about Anusara Yoga for me.

Not just are we a great system of bio mechanical principles; not only do we have some of the most profound spiritual teachings that inform our method but we have this amazing thing called the kula to support us and to give us a means to offer our support to others. That's a huge thing for me. So I used that as my theme and we did a strong standing pose practice and some backbends and mostly we had a really fun time together. John gave me some great technical pointers which was fantastic and he had very positive things to say about the class as well. (See, the support promise...he is unwavering, I tell you..)

So anyway- tomorrow is the advanced intensive. I am looking forward to seeing everyone and just being with everyone and doing some serious -and not so serious- yoga. Yippee!