Summer Yoga Day…retreat to Shine

I’ve been reminded of how deeply I love the sweetness our studio created for people, the beauty of supporting my teachers’ growth, the presciousness of being responsible for the nurturing of our community, and the gift that is teaching for me.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the business of life. I am so guilty of this. But it’s the little things that bring us back to who we are. That remind us to stop wasting all of our energy on things that don’t really matter and instead, invest in the things that do.

One of the best reasons to live in Western New York is the first snow fall. To me, there are few things as beautiful as the ground and trees covered with a blanket of snow. And it feels like a blanket. There is a deep sense of peace that I feel when I wake up to that perfect, clean, soft snowfall.

Last month, I participated in a buddhist mindfulness and Iyengar Yoga weekend with Mark Epstein, a psychiatrist and Buddhist scholar. He has a great gift for taking the complex and making it simple and easy to understand.

Over this last decade, the one thing ( besides dogs) that has been a constant in every day of my life is yoga.

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage -Lao Tzu.

Here we are again, another change, another shift. We have once again been mandated to close our in person studio, and will be now practicing virtually.

Practicing at home is not the same as practicing in person. We have had two and a half glorious months of practicing together. We know how good that feels.

This is an image from our dream catcher, the center and heart of our studio. Some of you know why I chose it to be our studio's centerpiece and symbol. The dream catcher draws all of our dreams, good and bad, to it. But, the bad dreams and thoughts--disappointments, fears, and worries--don't stick to it. What does stick are the good dreams-- our hopes, the joyful and deep and meaningful moments in our lives.

October is already here and like everything else these days, its characteristics seem even more pronounced than previous years. The world around us begins to fold in and grow quieter.

Many of us are reaching deep these days. Many of us are looking for direction. I’ve heard you talk about the hardship of right now and I’ve also seen your resilience. I’ve seen our community grow stronger and brighter during these impossible times. I’ve seen the moment in class, or on zoom, or in the lobby when something shifts for you. I’ve seen your generosity and compassion and kindness towards each other, and towards your teachers and towards me.

One year ago today, we closed Shine. I remember my fear that day. I truly agonized. If I close too soon, students will be unhappy. If I don't close, will people think I don't care about their health and safety? Mind you, I thought we would be closing for two weeks, tops.

Over the last nine months of change, my focus has been on providing you with consistency.

That's looked like--daily morning coffee sessions; daily yoga classes (no matter what); book clubs; lectures; series; workshops; and building an online platform.