Friday, December 28, 2012

And it all began with YOGA...

It was January 2001 when I stepped into my first yoga class at our local YMCA. I had given birth to my son, Matthew, just 8 months earlier and I thought yoga would be the perfect form of exercise to help me return to my pre-baby body.

I remember my first teacher, also named Jennifer, being warm and welcoming. She guided us through our practice that day and from then on I was hooked. I attended as many classes as I possibly could. I would even leave work mid-morning for an early lunch hour just so I could go.

I slowly saw things begin to to change. I felt the pregnancy/baby fog that was lingering in my brain start to lift. I felt happier. I noticed that my mind and body felt calmer after Shavasana (the final resting pose in a yoga class), and I began to react to stress in my life in a different way. I noticed an increase in my desire to take better care of myself, to get more rest when possible, and the desire to move my body that had been still for way too long. (I was on bedrest during my pregnancy so it had been awhile since I was active.) My body almost begged for movement on the days where there were no classes at the Y.

On those days, I began to use our 30 minute exercise break at work to walk. After a few weeks of walking, walking turned into walk/running. A few weeks later, walk/running turned into slow running. Plus, I was still practicing yoga. I was starting to experience a whole new side to life that I had not experienced before. I felt alive!

After about 6 months, I decided I was going to do a triathlon. Triathlons are composed of three events... swimming, biking, and running of various distances depending on the length of the race. The only problem was that I was terrified of water as a child and it still wasn't a favorite of mine as an adult. On my first morning in the pool, I can remember putting my goggles on and thinking, "WHAT AM I DOING?" I ended up taking swimming lessons again at the age of 30 so I could refresh some of the fundamentals I had fought so hard against as a child. I logged many miles during bike rides and runs in order to prepare for my first race. My first sprint triathlon (500m swim, 13 mile bike, and 5K run) was at Paris Island near Beaufort, SC. I finished my race strong... I even survived the swim... and I was so proud!


I firmly believe that none of what you just read would have happened without Yoga. I went to the class hoping to slim down my post-baby body but I found so much more. I found brand new self-esteem, the self-confidence to run in front of people, and even found the courage to face my fear of swimming. It was that "alive" feeling that kept me coming back.

And it all began with a Yoga class....



Please keep in mind this is just my personal story. Not everyone who begins a yoga practice decides to participate in a triathlon. However, you never know what changes you may notice in yourself and in your life if you begin a consistent practice. Emerald City Yoga is offering a "Introduction to Yoga" series. We will meet January 5, 12, 19, and 26 from 10:30-11:30. Cost is $35 for all four weeks. Look under my "events" section on Facebook for more info or feel free to contact me here. Please join me! 



Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Our Connection to Newtown, CT...


I got the news sometime on Friday as I was looking at Facebook. It was my husband’s birthday and I was headed over to his page to check out the birthday wishes his friends were sending. I immediately went to MSN and saw the breaking news. I took a giant inhale and I don’t remember breathing for the rest of the day. The news reports were conflicting, the death toll was rising, and I just wanted to escape from the awful, terrible, horrific news. Surely, this can’t be…

My heart hurt so much. I thought about my own children, as many people did, who were at their schools. I couldn’t wait to hear their voices when they were safely picked up that day. I thought about the parents who did just what I did that day… they sent their kids to school. Some of those parents would never hear their children’s sweet voices again. It was just unreal to me. Tears flowed.  
  
I didn’t turn on my computer or watch any regular TV for the rest of the day on Friday. I couldn’t bear to see the faces of those children. I couldn’t bear to know their names. I didn’t want to know anything about the person responsible for this unthinkable act.  It hurt too much. If I close my eyes and turn my head, it’s not there, right?! Wrong. 

I tried to do my usual cup of coffee/Facebook thing on Sunday. The horrific news was still there. Damn. Closing my eyes didn’t work. Now my friends were debating gun control, blaming the President, blaming the unthinkable act on mental health issues, and blaming the mother. It seemed that assigning blame would make everything better. Not. Again, for me, the internet went off and I turned Netflix on.

I drove to Greenville on Sunday afternoon. As I was driving, I began to think that there is something more… something I am missing…a lesson I could learn from this. I began to think of the film “I AM” by Tom Shadyac. (I had just watched his film “Happy” earlier that morning) In “I AM,” Shadyac talks about connection and how we are hardwired for connection to others. 

That was it! There is the lesson…

The moment I heard the news about the shooting, I was instantly connected to those people who I don’t even know. My heart hurt so much for them. I was sad beyond words and tears flowed freely for the lives lost and for the survivors. I wanted to DO something to help ease their pain.  

The thing is... I do not know any of the people in Newtown, CT. I cannot be a shoulder for any of those parents to cry on. I cannot sit by their side and hold their hands. I won't be attending any of the funerals. I won't be making a casserole to send to anyone.

I thought of people I do know who have suffering in their lives every day. I have a friend right now whose close family member is battling a rapidly progressing cancer. I would be more than happy to let her cry on my shoulder, sit with her, hold her hand, or bake a casserole for her.

This tremendous act of violence opened my eyes so maybe in some way I can help- even if it’s not directly to the families in CT. Maybe I can help ease the suffering of someone here… someone in my town… someone I know. 

This is not to downplay the horrendous event in CT at all. I wish there was a way I could help ease the pain and suffering there and to help the healing process begin. If anyone knows of a way, please let me know.  I will continue to pray for comfort, peace, and healing for the survivors and residents of Newtown, CT.  

 “The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another” ~ Thomas Merton

We are all connected. We are all One.