9/11
Today is 9/11. Such a powerful day that brings up so much for all of us. Do I address it? Do I talk about something else? Something more uplifting? I was living in New York when it happened. I went outside my apartment on 22nd and 1st and looked south and saw smoke where the towers used to be. I saw hundreds walking up First avenue, covered with ashes. I lost a friend from College who worked at Cantor Fitzgerald. And there are more things I can say about that day and the months after...
9/11 traumatized me, as I know it did to many. I think about that day whenever a plane flies too low or whenever I hear lots of ambulances. I carry my cell phone with me almost always all the time, because, well, just in case something happens and I can call my family to tell them what they already know.
I taught my class at Black Dog Yoga today at 12. As the students were settling in, many knew each other so the atmosphere was jovial and light. I felt a bit like a killjoy as I gently broached the theme. I think what helped was to acknowledge how hard it is to talk about something like this, and yet somehow find the good in it, so everyone can be in class uplifted as opposed to depressed.
I spoke about how on this day we saw the worst of humanity but also the best of humanity. How we saw people give their lives for others and be of service. I read the quote by Martin Luther King, which Rudy Guliani read this morning at the memorial, that starts: "Everybody can be great because anybody can serve..." I reminded my students that we always have the choice to connect with the divine power in us and act from a place of good.
I think it went well.
Theme: Service
Highlights:
*Focused on the back body. Initiating poses from the back of your body, as it makes the asanas less aggressive, less binding, less about the individual and more about the universal.
*Focused also on transitioning from pose to pose, breathing into the back body.
*Had them look in towards their navel to puff more the waistline, inflating the middle back. Keeping that fullness, then melt the upper back, the heart. Did that in plank, cobra, parsvakonasana, malasana, bakasana, handstand...
*"When you bow in, bow in to that part of you that wants to be of service..."
*Reminded them that being of service doesn't only mean doing grand acts and hard poses. Being of service means sometimes knowing when to be quiet; when to step back, when to do nothing. With those words I led them into the final pose.
*Gave the students today as final pose an 8 minute supta baddha konasana delicious restorative pose.
Something to work on:
*Completely forgot to do today the pose named after the God of Service, Hanumanasana! What was I thinking? I notice that I don't teach poses that are hard for me! Hanumanasana is a super difficult pose for me. Of course I never forget to teach agnistambasana, a hip opener which is my favorite pose. Have to teach poses I don't like! Otherwise I will never grow to like them and befriend them.
*Remind myself that as a full time yoga teacher who has been teaching for 8 and a half years, there will be times when I am going through personal grief and there will be times when there will be communal grief. Find a way to address what is there, while still making it uplifting and powerful.
I was honored to be in Maria's class today, as she dedicated the theme of "service." ML King's quote, so simple and elegant, yet so powerful, was underscored by her ever-so-honest teaching style: she was of service to us, her students, which in turn inspired each of us to be of service not only to each other, but ourselves. I cannot speak for the other students, but this inspiration bathed me in a feeling of humility and grace, and the strength of the kula surrounding me was a motivation to be mindful or continuing to serve those I love. Thank s Maria!
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