Rather than push the nerves aside, I decided to acknowledge them…breathe into them…and simply begin my morning a little earlier than I’d planned.
I thought about running through the practice I’d planned but figured at this point, I had luck on my side and everything was going to be fine. The Roman philosopher, Seneca, said that
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
I was prepared. I do yoga almost everyday…I’m certified to teach…and I had a plan for the class. I had the opportunity thanks to Josi needing a sub…so clearly luck was my side.
I got to the studio plenty early to make sure my music worked…to set out a mat….to breathe in the welcoming energy of the space….and to watch nature for a bit. I felt good.
Then the students started to arrive. One of the first few to enter were my shamans — which made me so happy, especially when Jim said, “This better be perfect.” A hardy laugh escaped before I could control it. The kind that comes from deep in the belly and makes me throw my head back. With the laughter escaped any lingering nerves and I stepped fully into myself…grounding myself in the moment…trusting that everything was going to be ok.
As the clock struck 10:30, I hit play on the music…guided the class to child’s pose…and set the theme for the next 75 minutes: the seed exercise from The Pilgrimage. We flowed…we breathed…we laughed…we worked hard. As the class came to an end, with the students lying peaceful on their sides, I re-read one of my favorite quotes about the seed exercise that so perfectly applies to yoga, in my opinion…
“This practice, little by little, will free you from the burdens of your life.”
As I sit this afternoon, burden free, looking back on this morning’s class, my only hope is that the students enjoyed it as much as I did. Namaste