Sunday, August 23, 2009

The Jews...

Shalom,

First, just know that things will rarely turn out exactly like you expect them to - yet we continue to have and hold expectations anyway, don't we?

I walked into Wichita's Temple Emanu-el 20 minutes early, having come all the way from my camper at Marion Lake to give a free "introduction to yoga" class. It was the start of the Jewish Community Adult Education classes and I had brought a 30 minute "Yoga for the Office" class I have previously given.

The two women who greeted me were all smiles, thanked me and seemed excited that I was there (before shaking my hand, they both clapped!). I quipped "everyone should be greeted this way when they first meet someone!"

They showed me to the library where the tables and chairs had already been pushed aside.

Now a word about books (and precocious young girls who read a lot). When I enter a library, the little bookworm inside of me does a little jig and sings "goody, goody, goody" as she contemplates having a month of solitary confinement with which to read them all. :)

After shaking hands with the rabbi, who stopped in to introduce himself, answer my question about why the posters and historical documents on the wall spelled G_d that way (the name is so holy that you are not supposed to put it on paper or things that may be defaced, damaged or thrown away), I was left alone to wait for the "students".

There were three choices for the adults this day (and I wondered how yoga would rate when I saw them listed on the large poster in the entry):

From the congregation bulletin: http://www.emanuelict.org/emanu_bulletin.htm

"David, our guest speaker, will be talking about building community and our new program. We are also offering Yoga, as well as a traditional Torah Study led by Federation Director, Rabbi Moti Rieber."

Would anyone show up I wondered?

In the library, I had time to move a chair or two and test the light switches for just the right lighting. Then, I stood in front of the shelves quietly perusing the titles, some from famous Jews who's names I recognized. A large volume about the Holocaust caught my eye and I took it down and flipped to a couple of pages.

Just then, 'Abby' came in to look at the rack of children's books free for the taking. She was so talkative, just a-mile-a-minute. She told me about her reading program, the 25 books they were to read, and indignantly said "I can read a lot more than 25 books this year!" Her friend came in and whisked her off to the children's classrooms. She so reminded me of me. I read all the time as a child. Libraries were "cool".

I stood alone again in the quiet library while parents made their way down the halls to their assigned or chosen rooms for the morning sessions. A parent, convincing an upset child that they would be fine, daddy would be right across the hall, not to worry.....a mother walking by, towing a small boy looked up and we smiled at each other. I heard her say "that must be the yoga teacher, she has that 'yoga body'", - - -oh for cryin' out loud I thought, this was getting surreal.

As the clock ticked past our start time, I looked at a stack of magazines, picked up the one on top, and found a great quote by Eleanor Roosevelt -something about embracing new experiences...and then in the same magazine (the summer 2008 issue) - right in the middle, an article about Jewish women and yoga.... ok....a sign. A good sign....

http://www.jwmag.org/site/c.fhLOK0PGLsF/b.4193323/

Still, no students -10 minutes after our start time for the short 30 minute class.....yet I knew that things would be just fine. I was not nervous but open, no expectations, I let them all go.

Then they came. Of the dozen adults who came late to the library (apologizing), 8 had practiced yoga before. I joked that i would "give them the history and practice of yoga in 18 minutes..." :)

It was fine. It was fun. And if I want to use the library....I am welcome to! Here's hoping everyone comes back in October for the "real" thing!

Namaste, Cindy










Sunday, August 16, 2009

the immediacy of yoga

"The immediacy of yoga is astounding, everything essential is right here, right now....." ....so says my thought for the day on the calendar for August 9th.

I maintain several journals, this blog, and my history on the social networking sites. What will become of all these electronic bits? What good are they? As soon as I post, or journal or blog, the moment is over.

What matters is my practice, how I move in the world, and my attempts with yoga to be more of who I really am. Note: If you were really honest, you know that you are not your authentic self for every moment of every day. You are an actor, acting as your professional self, or you in the role of spouse, mom, friend, neighbor, teacher, or daughter.

I only seem to find my true, authentic, uncovered, and natural state in yoga or meditation. The rest of my life peels away layer upon layer and only the moment, the movement, the breath is left. It is so immediate, so essential, so accessible.

This, above all, is why I continue my yoga practice. When I do enter the world of play-acting, I can be more aware of the reasons for being the way that I am, and the reasons to try and change what may not serve me anymore. At a party, I can legitimately explain that I am an accountant by trade, and a yogi by choice...and that the two worlds, while seemingly contradictory, are two sides of the same coin. I use my talents, and share my gifts, then reflect on what makes me "tick", and what makes me happy. I think a perfect example of this is how we are around our parents. If that is not a lifetime of play-acting, I don't know what is! I now notice my reactions to my mother and step-father, how they are grounded in habit, many years of conditioning, many past experiences, and have absolutely nothing to do with the moment that is. When I realize this, I can pause, and be more myself, and not "Daughter". It's worked! It's really worked......over and over.

Then I journal it, to learn the lessons, and to be (as one of my mentors says) "protected and nourished by the teachings."

Namaste.