First thoughts…

As part of the certification process for the Thai Partner Yoga Therapy workshop/training I did this summer, we were asked to do some blog/facebook posts about our experiences. You know, actually put into words what we learned/experienced/remembered. Though words are simply not one of my “assets”, I’ll do my best.

Long story shorter, last Fall I was pretty much knocked upside the head with a strong feeling that I needed to attend this summer’s Thai Partner Yoga Training. I applied, pictures of my x-rays and hard-wear and all, and was gracefully accepted.

The first week of training I was “excited and scared”. Though 6 years ago I had certified, through NESTA, as a Sport Yoga Instructor, I knew that was a very basic and “beginner” type of class/certification--which was fine for me! I did it simply for the personal knowledge it offered for me. In the last 6 years, I had never taken a formal-in-person-real-live-teacher yoga class…though I did have my pelvis crushed, and used what I had learned of Yoga in my recovery. It helped. I wasn’t sure I would be able to “keep up” with a class of “real yogis”, and was concerned I would feel and look pretty foolish. I was determined to do my best.

The first day of training started off with a morning asana practice (which I have come to dearly love) called “Bodhi Flow”. Also referred to as “Slow Flow” by some of the students. Well…I learned more about myself in that 90 minutes than at the time I cared to. As I was publicly faced with all of my physical limitations, I found myself thinking, “ Oh, how I want to just be able to touch my toes, or sit criss-cross with ease and grace!” My first Yoga class ever, and I was learning about how to have self-compassion and patience with my limitations, along with being fascinated by the feel of moving through asanas (poses) I didn’t know I could do, as well as feeling discouraged at how difficult or impossible some of the basic asanas were for me. Though encouraged and reminded often to “go at my own pace”, I really didn’t know what that was in this new setting. Were my arms supposed to feel like limp spaghetti? Were my legs supposed to be shaking and quivering like that? One thing I did know by the end of that first 90 minutes was that I was definitely going to feel it in the morning. I was right. It was almost comical, the way my arms and pretty much every muscle I had (and didn’t know I had) protested at the simple act of getting dressed or driving to class the next morning. I found myself praying that this next morning’s class, “Yin Yoga”, or restorative yoga, would look like me laying on my mat and…well…laying on my mat. Hallelujah! It was fantastic! It was better than laying on my mat wallowing in self-pity…it was laying on my mat in relaxation and bliss…90 minutes of gently waking up my sore and stiff muscles, working out the pain, having the time to become aware of and pay attention to what my body was telling me. When you are that stiff and sore, there is no room for pride. But there’s lots of room for compassion.

Through the rest of the week I was able to function and learn. For me, the most important thing I learned and remembered through the first week of Thai Training was self-compassion, self-patience, and self-awareness. When I am more aware of my own feelings and needs, I can then expand that to become more aware of those same needs in others.

I was thoroughly thrilled with the tools I was introduced to, from the Thai Yoga work to the gentle reminders of life skills I had once known and forgotten. What a beautiful way to be reminded to live life like you mean it! Throughout the week, I would have the thought of Leo Buscaglia's go through my mind..."Love is the process of my gently leading you back to yourself".

Namaste.

Morning yoga and Lake Powell. Yum. (2008)