I don’t use Facebook to share a lot of my thoughts since I prefer being in person with people to dialog. I often use teaching as an outlet. Not that I dump my stuff on classes or students – not at all. I’ve become comfortable walking that fine line below over sharing, and way above watering it down. Regardless, every one of my classes begins with a theme or idea that is a living example of some part of yoga’s purpose. Sometimes it’s a re-telling of a myth story. Sometimes the theme is on a phrase, or word that gets unpacked. Sometimes it’s more personal. Lately there’s been more politics in it, and I’m okay with that. Its visible and palpable that students are shocked, scared, and need places to address the issues in different ways than just talking. So we practice yoga, work it through the body. Open to listen inwardly. It works.

I’ve also not been posting opinions about the current political and world climate of events, but I’m talking about it. I’ve seen the same news, been horrified at the same events, feel incredible concern about the safety of everyone in every public place of worship, education, celebration, and entertainment. Every class, I’m talking about it, even if indirectly.

And every class I remind students of a nugget essence from the practice that may help ease any intensity that’s building in them. I don’t have the answers at all, but I aim to guide where to lean into in themselves. Where inside themselves they can release. Where inside themselves they can hold steady. Where inside themselves they can rest, and restore faith. Restore faith in themselves. In the practice. In community connection. In safe spaces. In language. In their truth. In our voices mattering. In humanity. In hearts that open, and in hearts that break. And when it fails to happen, restore faith in the ability to get up and do it again. And again. Until it does.

We share this planet and this country with other people. The better we are to each other the better off we’ll be. So much is at stake – the most in my lifetime. I’m more engaged in politics than I’ve ever been and concerned about students lives more than ever before. We are a community. I feel more balanced with these classes, just knowing I have these classes to teach; as much as I hear students feel balanced coming to classes that I teach. I get an enormous amount out of it, I’m restored of faith every class I teach, and I believe we help each other.

I still believe yoga studios are places of refuge and worship, and offer the same as churches, synagogues, mosques, or temples. Showing up is a political act that says we won’t stop enacting our freedom, creating spaces that are inclusive, and standing up for each other. Thank you for showing up. I think we all matter.

Please vote.

 

(image: The Wild Unknown Journal)