After I began studying piano again this past year, my love for the instrument was renewed and I enthusiastically grew in my practice. But I had an unusual amount of physical pain, pain that I intuitively sensed was deeper than physical pain and more than my muscles simply adjusting to the new practice regimen.
The body hurting as it was, was a manifestation of painful memories attached to this instrument. They were surfacing -- ready to be healed and released. I wondered what my next step would be.
One morning, direction came unexpectedly through an On Being podcast which suddenly and accidentally began playing on my laptop. Krista Tippet was interviewing a yoga instructor and I was drawn in by her story and her work with women who have been traumatized. She said something about how the effectiveness of yoga is in it's invitation to breath into the places that carry tension and to *move*through painful emotions and memories. There was such resonance for me in what she shared that I knew it was my time to begin my own yoga practice, as I had suspected I would at some point in my life.
I had been acquainted with Shelley for some time and had been aware of her launching and curate-ing the Yoga Sanctuary in Minneapolis. It finally clicked for me. I knew I had to check out what's happening there and I've been practicing ever since.
I'm so grateful for my caring community at the Sanctuary and I'm grateful for the expressions of yogi thought that Shelley has shared with us: reminders of compassion, non-judgment and vital breath, for example. She emanates these principles in her presence and guiding reflections. I'm grateful for the affirmation of these values within my whole being and their cultivation in practice. Compassion and non-judgment are so what my healing journey requires. The intentional breathe and movement ease, soothe and strengthen my body; releasing strain and stress as the simultaneous mental focus helps me to release the mental, psychological and spiritual pain as well - opening my heart to wholeness.
Shelley has invited me to consider putting together some music for yoga and eventually play LIVE during a class at the Sanctuary. She's planted a seed and inspired me with some of the poetry she's read at the end of our sessions together. I'm excited about the possibilities! As I continue to grow in my own yoga practice, I have begun to write songs for prayer and meditation and I'm so looking forward to sharing those songs with you all in the coming year!
With gratitude for a gracious teacher with an open heart and for the whole community as we care for and teach each other...
Love,
Heatherlyn
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