Wow, well, what to say- we had a rockin' day at the Love Shack yesterday. Noah started off the session talking about Shiva Nataraj and the point of Shiva's Dance being the dance itself, the ecstatic, blissful dance of creation, sustenance, destruction, concealment and revelation. He led the warm ups, I taught the arm balancing portion and he finished up the class with a great foray into back bends.
The afternoon session we worked on twists, hip openers, forward bends and inversions. We talked about how the philosophies that inform Anusara Yoga really turned yoga and the way it was practiced "on its head". Instead of yoga being a path of up and out, of transcendence, of limited beings seeking freedom, it can be a path of coming down and in, of involvement and of free beings choosing limitation as a means of deeper understanding and relationship.
This morning we worked with the them of Love. I told a story about an interview I once read with my spiritual teacher, Lee Lozowick. He was talking about how he met his guru after his awakening and so the interviewer asked him, "Why have a guru if you were already awakened?" My teacher went on to talk about how for him, it is a love affair, not some sense of lack or emptiness, etc. So really, that is the invitation of Anusara Yoga- to engage our practice from fullness, as celebration, not as a means to fix ourselves, improve ourselves or anything like that. We worked on arm balances and back bends. Fun times.
We spent the afternoon on the softer side of things- after a foray into hanumanasana, we worked on some headstand variations, some pranayama and mantra. We worked with the idea of consciousness and the microcosmic reflection that of the Supreme that we are and how our own greatness and holds the key to understanding our connection the Source of that greatness.
We had an excellent time this week. One of my favorite things to do these days is to team teach with my friends and this was no exception. Noah and I stayed up way too late every night talking and sharing and laughing and collaborating on the workshop and training was great fun. We both reflected tonight on how we feel more inspired by teaching together and spending time together. Really, what a blessing.
Me and Kelly and Noah went mountain bike riding after class tonight which was super fun. After an hour and half ride we walked into Chuy's for a final diner together. The bike ride was a great way to shift gears (HAH! I do love a good pun....) and to move and to enjoy the fresh air. It was my first mountain bike ride in over 3 years and I was totally not lame. I actually did very well. It was great fun.
All right, time for bed and a day off tomorrow. (think lots of time for yoga!)
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