People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.
Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
"Thank you for bringing such interesting people together in your classes", a woman said to me on Saturday. Yoga for Women, follows a novel format in that it lasts for two hours because we gather in a circle for the first thirty minutes to introduce ourselves and discuss a chosen topic before the experience of yoga postures.
This past week, each participant was asked to share something about themselves that others might find "interesting". What prompted me was the fact that we have many part-time residents in our classes who come away from very different settings and lifestyles when they enter the studio.
Carole Kaeding is one example. She'll be returning very soon to Michigan where she owns Gratiot Lake Basketry. When she retired (many years ago, she says) and took up basket making, she found a need for a consistent supply of materials. She became that supplier and today has a successful business staffed with the most capable people, which allows her the time to come back every year to Kona and yoga.
Surrounding Carole were some other very special women who varied in age and life experience. They have travelled the world solo or taken up a new language. They are exploring different cultures and art forms or discovering hidden talents and hobbies. They seek the excitement of exploring lava tubes, beginning a new service for the elderly or just having fun in life playing and travelling.
I then introduced a restorative yoga sequence meant to alleviate fatigue by soothing and then energizing the adrenal glands. Some of the dozen or so postures had to be modified for the varying degrees of yoga experience and physical limitations but once everyone reached their perfect position, it was a sight to behold! When we learn how to be comfortable in our bodies, wherever life might position us, we can remain calm and peaceful; everything flows and everyone glows. It doesn't matter what it looks like from the outside, the light is on inside because someone's at home!
At the end of class, phone numbers were exchanged so that conversations could continue. I doubt that fatigue is something that these women experience very often...they seem to balance their lives quite gracefully.
This past week, each participant was asked to share something about themselves that others might find "interesting". What prompted me was the fact that we have many part-time residents in our classes who come away from very different settings and lifestyles when they enter the studio.
Carole Kaeding is one example. She'll be returning very soon to Michigan where she owns Gratiot Lake Basketry. When she retired (many years ago, she says) and took up basket making, she found a need for a consistent supply of materials. She became that supplier and today has a successful business staffed with the most capable people, which allows her the time to come back every year to Kona and yoga.
Surrounding Carole were some other very special women who varied in age and life experience. They have travelled the world solo or taken up a new language. They are exploring different cultures and art forms or discovering hidden talents and hobbies. They seek the excitement of exploring lava tubes, beginning a new service for the elderly or just having fun in life playing and travelling.
I then introduced a restorative yoga sequence meant to alleviate fatigue by soothing and then energizing the adrenal glands. Some of the dozen or so postures had to be modified for the varying degrees of yoga experience and physical limitations but once everyone reached their perfect position, it was a sight to behold! When we learn how to be comfortable in our bodies, wherever life might position us, we can remain calm and peaceful; everything flows and everyone glows. It doesn't matter what it looks like from the outside, the light is on inside because someone's at home!
At the end of class, phone numbers were exchanged so that conversations could continue. I doubt that fatigue is something that these women experience very often...they seem to balance their lives quite gracefully.
Photo of the Duomo in Florence, Italy: GeneBurch. com