This is Yoga...
So, what is on my mind??? These blogs are an opportunity for me to connect more deeply with you and share my thoughts and feelings. I also get to express my excitement about what is coming up at the studio or in my life. When I sat down to write this one, I was literally STUCK! It is the start of a new year, we just had the BIGGEST and best year yet at our event, Something BIG Yoga, there is so much to be happy about and tell you about… but for some reason I had NOTHING to say. Sounds weird but I want to be honest.
I just returned from a long overdue vacation with Andy. Something we don’t often find the time to do. We set sail to the Caribbean for seven days, which ended up being a cruise to nowhere. No ports would accept the ship due to the Noro Virus! I was one of the almost 500 people to get sick on-board. It happened right in the middle of the week, so the trip was cut short and we returned to Florida a day early. I knew there was something bigger at play, so I sat with my thoughts and feelings and realized I got everything I had asked for. All I had wanted was a little time alone with my husband and a chance to really relax and get some rest and that is exactly what I got!
I had planned on writing all about my upcoming Retreat to India and talk about how much I love to travel and experience other cultures, and to my surprise, I realized that I just returned from an unexpected cultural experience. The cruising world has a culture all its own! One that I am not familiar with and one that felt a bit odd at first. When I stepped on-board all, I could see was how different everyone seemed and how they all have this cruise thing in common. Many people cruise all the time and earn status for the trips they have taken. They have been on the same ships four or five times and continue to return. There is a lot of Food and Beverage talk and even more talk about the different types of Entertainment on board…Not much conversation about selfcare, mindfulness or relaxation. I was faced with the same thing that happens whenever I travel to different parts of the world… at first, we see how different we are and then over time the veils come down and the “sameness” begins to show itself. Each of us was there with our own intention and the experience offered each of us exactly what we came for. The Noro Virus didn’t discriminate about who got sick and who didn’t. Those who wanted to partake in the activities did. There were people at the gym and people at the bars, people in the shows and others at the pool. Lots of families with kids and a real variety of ages, shapes and sizes. I was no different than anyone else. We were all from different parts of the world and we were all on vacation.
I love how my yoga shows itself in the oddest of times and somehow brings everything down to earth for me. So here I am writing my first blog of the year and feeling grateful for the truth. The truth of my humanity, the blessing of the simplicity of it all and sweetness of humility. I am looking forward to creating my vision for the future this coming weekend from this place of truth, humanity, humility and simplicity. There is a very special group so far in the 6th Annual Vinyasa Vision Boards and Vino on Sunday afternoon and only a few spaces left. This is my favorite way to start the process of creating our visions… with the TRUTH! We will look at what needs more attention and what needs to be modified in our lives. I will encourage us to be BOLD and COURAGEOUS about our dreams and see what we can check off that bucket list. Whether you are attending or not, I ask that you take a good hard look back at 2018 and see what you have learned. Then meet yourself exactly where you are…Be in your truth, so you can look forward and create the life that you want to live! Not the one you think you should or one that someone else designed for you. I can’t think of anything more yoga than that….Seriously THIS IS YOGA!
Love & Light,
Leslie