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Greetings from Big Sur, California! I’m here at Eslan (where the future Mad Men Series ends), for a 5-day long yoga retreat with some incredible leaders in the yoga community such as Sharon and David Gannon, Sean Corne and Katchie Ananda. Being here is both inspiring and self-realizing in so many ways. I watch these folks do what they were born to do – lead yoga, be activists and bring together communities. Their words are passionate, their presence is real and I’m totally amazed at all they do.
But then there is me… as I listen to their talks about finding purpose, being open to what comes up and non-judgment I think…yes, I’m in my community, my element…this stuff resonates with me! But then the whole thing gets way too campy for me, and suddenly the connection is lost like a bad wireless signal. I’m not dogmatic, I’m not “woo woo”, and when the group starts to go all love-festy, I start to feel foreign in an environment which just two seconds before seemed so comforting and real.
I guess what I’m learning is my own boundaries and tolerance for the esoteric. I truly believe there is more to life than what meets the eye. I know there is a powerful force that propels me every day. I believe in synchronicity and karma, but I draw the line at speak of God, and the “woo woo”. What I take from this, is the ability to opt out of what turns me off, but not because it scares me, but because it doesn’t jive with me.
On a more grateful note, one thing that really struck me during the opening ceremonies was the acknowledgment that we were so damn lucky to be here, in this beautiful place where a river and hot springs meet the grandness of the Pacific Ocean at its doorstep. This place is truly magical on so many levels. Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, somewhere I just left, people fight to feed their families. There are people living in huts made of cow dung and carrying 50lbs barrels of hay on their backs in 110-degree heat. There is someone else living in a war zone. And then there is me, practicing yoga in an ocean-side yurt in sunny California, where there is plenty of food, and virtually no threats. I am truly blessed to be here, and gratitude virtually swells around me.
I’ll let you know how the week goes!!!!
Too funny! I love this post!
Although I can appreciate those who live and breathe yoga every single day of their life, I am not one of those people. My life is not serious 24/7. In fact, during the yoga classes that I teach, we laugh. Sometimes we laugh so hard that we fall out of our pose. To me, yoga is whatever you want it to be. It doesn't have to be the traditional dogma…it is your practice.
I stumbled upon your blog a few days ago and I must say that you inspire me. I began practicing yoga about 6 months ago and one honeymoon and one sprained ankle later, my practice slid. I dropped classes and wasn't practicing at home at all. I found your blog and you reminded me how much I love practicing and that I aspire to so much more than a gentle hatha flow class on Wednesday nights. So, rock on to you, I look forward to reading more in the future.