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/
The Yoga Hive logo~

Might We Come Together Sharing Our Gifts?

Prompt: Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011? Author Cali Harris

Community – derived from the Old French, derived from the Latin cum =with/ together + munus = gift

Day 7 and the prompt knocked me to the floor. How could I respond? Had I abandoned my community or had they abandoned me? Do I truly feel that I have a sense of community here where I live? Do two folk constitute a community? I have wolf and crow energy, they are incredibly community oriented animals~ yet there is often the lone one; is that me? I struggle with the desire to be part of, belong to a pack; yet why does it feel so painful? What part of being in a pack in childhood (family of 5 littler mates); moved into my story? Making me a little stand-offish, “wary” might be the better word.

When I moved to Maine from a tiny community in Colorado; I felt indeed that I had abandoned a community that had held me, helped raise my child, loved me and boxed me in. I needed out of the box ~ I was growing in ways that at the time; I felt the community wasn’t able to take in. We were no longer able to support each other. I jumped hard, and flew out of the box. Here I am Maine, love me as I am! Do they? Do I?

Some almost 20 years later, I am no longer sure. I do not know about 2010- it has become at the moment, difficult, painful while being full of love from those who K N O W me. I will come out on the other end of this process ~ oh, right I am heading into my second Saturn return ~ this could be fun, full of possibility along with the Lunar eclipse, coming soon to a neighborhood near you!

Yes, I do have bit of community, community that I foster, a new one recently that I have fallen into and they are indeed a gift. It will take intention to keep these small pockets of community working together. What will I bring to the table? What are my gifts? What part of what I do have isn’t working? What is required to help and guide community in a healthy way?

I want to create community in which the Wisdom of Being a Wild Women/ Man is nurtured, come play with me, dance and sing with me about Life. How are you choosing to change and break old patterns. Share with me great Joy and your great Sorrow. Share with me your anger, it too takes us toward healing. What of the shame we carry? Not enough~
too much! Come share with me as we move toward who we wish to Become. Bringing our gifts as, Artist, Wild Lovers of Life, Quiet Dancers doing work of the everyday ordinary, extraordinary! Come play with me!. Be part of this community with me.

Indeed there will be more to come on this prompt – I’m just now off the floor. Blessings for the prompt!



photo meeting together at dusk before heading to the roost.