Teachers, Guides Sign Post Along the Way.

I am taking part in a project called #reverb10 – which has become an annual event. An online initiative encouraging participants to reflect on this year, with and eye toward what’s next. “We’re connected by the belief that sharing our stories has the power to change us. We look forward to reading yours.” (This line straight from their site.)

Prompt: Defining moment. Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year. Author Kathryn Fitzmaurice

A moment in time, it was an invitation to join my daughter in a yoga class! It would be good I had travel by car to a workshop and on my way back toward home, I had stopped in to visit Tirzah. Newly come to yoga, she wanted to share her studio and her friend the instructor Kimberly with me. I was delighted! I have a home practice and I drop in here and there. About 2 years ago I injured some muscles in my left hip; what does this have to do with my home practice you may ask. When you find a pose that is now almost impossible for you to do, pain-free ~ well, you are at home, nobody will know that you’ve skipped over your favorite pose – pigeon, or any of those other left leaning hip opener, oh right and squatting ~ out!

I’ve always been flexible~ much to the chagrin of my daughter. No stretching problems here. Enter Kimberly Musial of The Yoga Hive, Pittsburgh, PA. Teaching and inviting her class to move through the poses, she hits pigeon~ I think no problem. I love this pose! Oops

Oh, but I’ve not done it in 2 years, and my hip is still recovering. I find myself dropped to the matt, my daughter next to me, noticing myself. I am unable to do my favorite pose without or even with blocks! My heart breaks from within ~ I am able to stay contained ~ yet I am aware of all that I have lost, how I’ve cheated myself. Breath, a saving Grace; I take myself back to the mat. Noticing, I don’ t want to say just noticing, it is deeper then that ~ noticing it is all I can do, as we continue the practice for the morning. I will have time to sit into the feelings; I have a 13 hour drive before me.

What became of all this? I learned that we ALL need teachers to guide us~ no matter the level of our practice. It is easy to get into a groove, that doesn’t invite us to our growth, our Potent! This is not ok for me, for myself! That chronic pain takes energy away from what we enjoy; this has gifted me a better understanding of/for my clients that live daily with chronic pain. I had not been able to see this in myself.

With great gratitude, I bow to The Yoga Hive, Kimberly as teacher, my daughter Tirzah always the love of my Soul and teacher extraordinaire! I am filled to overflowing with Gratitude.

By December of 2011 I will again be able to do pigeon, crow and elephant ~ Pain Free.
This for myself ~ for my growth!
Namaste



photo by T.Griffin http://www.flickr.com/photos/tirzymcwirzy/
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