Adventure takes a turn at Letting Go

Personal Practice. When I began the Adventure series, my intention was to nourish a sense of sacred solitary space within myself and my practice. The intention that I set was simple and most likely to result in success: one solitary yoga practice a week. I viewed this adventure as being malleable and flexible with a journey that others could join should they feel the pull. At the time I was practicing at the park and at the Breathing Space Studio Karma class as well as beginning a "Friend" at home yoga practice.

It worked, setting a weekly day for my solitary practice with the intention and some fun links has helped me make myself at home on this section of the lily pad hopping path.

However, I think I'm getting a little heavy here. Water is seeping onto my green oasis as my solitary practice becomes heavy and burdensome. Breathing Space has canceled their Karma class (not sure when it will begin anew) and yoga in the park is in hibernation for the winter. Replacing those two yoga practices with more solitary practice felt horrifically unfair. Really, I wanted to stomp my foot and proclaim that yoga should be for everyone! Why is it so darn expensive to deepen and continue my practice? I just want to continue to learn.

These self-perpetuating thoughts made my practice heavy. I was sinking. Enter that pre-birthday conversation with Krista, owner of Bhavana Yoga Boutique. She asked me where I was practicing these days... no yoga instructor had ever asked me that. Asked in a manner that assumed that "well of course you're a yogini". I don't know why but it was what I needed to hear. I had started to feel that perhaps yoga was not in the cards for me, I was too much of a feminist, too passionate, too quick to react, too weak and unbendy. After five years of practice I can still just barely reach my toes in seated forward folds.

Along with a few flashes of insight, Krista also suggested I try an online membership to video yoga classes. My initial reaction was... um no thank you. I have such a block on following a dvd or video and I really hate committing to monthly payments of any kind. At the same time, I had given this considerable thought, but was put out by the amount of research necessary to sort through the good from the crap.

Krista's recommendation: YogaGlo. She brought it up on her mac right there in the store- you can choose the style, the instructor (with some big names) the length of class and the level. You can even watch online lectures on the Sutras. For 18$ a month you have unlimited video access and the first 15 days are free. The biggest turn around for myself though, was her recommendation. She loves it. It was interesting hearing her perspective; a more "senior" yoga practitioner in the city who has been having difficulty finding a suitable instructor to actually help her practice grow.

Halifax is filled with young instructors (some excellent!), but I could see how justifying the cost of attending a studio class would be tricky for long time practitioners. It also reminded me of all the "Babies teaching babies" discussions I've been reading around the yoga-blogland. But seriously, I am so done with the cyclical, no solution, negativity. So I didn't bring it up with Krista. :)

In any case, I am signing up. YogaGlo will be a nice in between for myself while waiting to hear whether I will actually be employed in February 2010. Once I get another contract, then I can consider investing in studio memberships. Also, H. offered to go half on the cost per month! Since she often practices with me here at the apartment, we'll both benefit from learning and she'll now have the option to practice on her time without depending on my schedule!

Finally, you may have noticed that the banner is new! I just couldn't seem to be happy with a traditional "Fall" picture. Yesterday, for my official birthday, Andrew and I took advantage of the 16 degree (celcius) fluke weather and had a picnic at a local "beach". I decided that some yoga could be fun and the pictures turned out great. It was so completely grounding and the ocean was just so powerful. I cannot believe I actually survived two whole years in the Interior (BC). As I type this I'm sitting out on our balcony, bundled up as the temp dropped again, home sick with a flu (not THE flu, but a head cold) and I can feel the ocean in the wind, always wind.

I'll leave you all with a (grainy and poor quality) video of the ocean I took with Andrew's camera. Just imagine the colours in the photos... only in the video as well. :)

How are you all doing with your Adventures?

Blessings!

photos, video and article copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com