Waves

We are in the cosy yoga studio (Quiet Mind DC) that became a home within a week, reading sentences written 2000 years ago (The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali) and discussing what they mean for us today. They are surprisingly relevant. We talk about the waves in life, how things change from a clean sky to a cloudy day, the ups and downs. We talk about our internal waves, how we reflect on life's waves and how our tendencies, habits and nature don't let us to see the reality. The reality that says we are whole. We are ok as is. Patanjali says the mirror is skewed not us and we must work hard to adjust our mirror (our mind) to see the truth. We mustn't get discouraged if it doesn't happen tomorrow. We need to put our best effort forward and detach ourselves from the result.

It is amazing that a text written so long ago sparks such a relevant discussion. We go back and forth in our circle, listening each other, absorbing each other's words and offering our own thoughts. We grow as the minutes become hours, hours become days, days (hopefully will) become weeks.

This is the sixth day of my training and I cannot believe in the change in my perspective towards my yoga practice, towards life, towards everything. My days are filled with yoga, I wake up at 6am, get a quick shower, leave the house at 6:30am, mumu and I carpool, my class begins at 8am with two brief morning and afternoon breaks and a lunch break. In the breaks I am busy munching on stuff and chatting with my classmates, all of which are wonderfully interesting people. We begin with 2 hours of yoga every day. Every single day. Then comes posture lab, where we look at yoga positions and learn about anatomy, safety, adjustments, common pitfalls. We have practice runs where we teach each other poses. We discuss philosophy and history of yoga. We even have time to talk about our fears, hopes, questions, questions and more questions. At the end of the day after class, I have to read 20 to 50 pages a day and write essays to homework questions. Sometimes I wait for mumu in a cafe and get some of the homework done. Sometimes I get home and all I can do is get out of my yoga clothes (these days mumu tells me I smell like yoga mats ALL THE TIME :)), eat a bite and get to my homework so that I can make sure that it gets done before I pass out.

Yesterday was the only day that we had some additional time in the afternoon. As soon as I got home I passed out on the sofa (actually I first crawled into the house and then with much effort crawled onto the sofa :)).

I feel the change inside out. Sometimes I wish I had more time to absorb things, more time in between classes. But maybe it is better this way. When I come out at the end of the training in a month, I'll be a completely renewed person without even realizing it :)

It is hard. I push myself in the daily asana (physical yoga practice). My wrists and ankles hurt today. A part of me doesn't even notice. An unknown serenity is over me. Maybe it is sharing this experience with the newfound friends, maybe the care and comfort our fab teacher Chrissy gives us, maybe I was ready for this without even knowing. Wherever it comes from, I am extremely grateful for it.

Something is easing inside, something is growing. I am watching it with care, like a new pink bud in my favorite flower pot, watering it every single day. It's fragile but it's there. And I am holding it with care in my chest with a big, happy smile.

:).