To start this whole thing off: I've wanted to a personal challenge for a while since the new year, but I just couldn't bring myself into it with the hectic January and Olympic February. The reason I started from March 2ND rather than the first was that I was working out some emotions for the past week or so, and last night (night of march 1st) I just decided that I will start this challenge/journey and spin into a vegetarianism into the mix.
Now with the initial setup stated.
This morning started with a gentle Hot class @ Highgate with Cora. It was a nice first step into this journey. It was a pretty regular class. I'm getting this habit where I pay more attention to some one's tones and pitches while speaking rather than the words spoken...This happens pretty often once I know the sequence of the class, and that I'm just following my own breaths into the postures...I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing, but definitely notice that part of me and will definitely assess that part of me once it deviates my mind from the practice. I then talked to Cora about this challenge/journey. She's amazed, shocked, and supportive.=)
I went to Flow after work to catch a power class. I wasn't sure if Clara was back, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway since I was ready to be open for anything...and then it began...
It was Reno Muenz that subbed in for Clara and that was 1 of the most beautiful class I've ever done...The room was at some ridiculous temperature, which wasn't so great for my ashtangi liking, but he put on some awesome reggae music, had some pretty funny jokes to keep our heads from spinning due to the heat, and he ended the savasana with one of the most touching story I've heard that's from first-person experience:
Reno spoke of the time when he worked @ a flower shop that was owned by a Japanese whom did meditation with flower arrangement...and he an apprentice under the owner in regards to the meditative aspect as well. One day, a woman came in, and wanted some arranged flowers, and he was helping her with that. She knows what she wanted and was a "sharp" woman. (I'm guessing that she spoke some quick words and had some harsh tone...) They got to a point where they made this 1 arrangement with a single red flower in the centre, and he asked her that was the significance of that red flower. The woman's shell just broke and was using a completely different tone; she had to wear sunglasses to hide her tearing eyes...weakness...He continued helping her, made everything to her order, and even helped her bring them out to her car. At the end there, the woman said to him:" My husband just past away, and so far, you've been the nicest person to me since that has happened."
"There is separateness, it's bogus. We are one." -loosely his conclusion to that story.
*I* started sobbing in savasana....This story has broken down all of the walls around my heart, and has allowed me to release a large portion of the emotion that I have bottled up...From that moment on, I know that I must have a theme for this journey as well. I've decided that the first 10 days will be the theme of compassion. I will release all my boundaries around my heart and share it with whomever I can.
The 3rd class I did was with Dan McInnis for a "lightly" candlelit flow. I was kind of interesting because we started with some serious Sun Salute B's...I didn't know I had more sweat after a hot power, but I sweat in that flow class...t'was overall a great class, for me anyway; he worked some nice postures to release the lower back and worked the hips a bit with warrior into triangle into half moon sequences.
At the end of the day I'm still glad that I went to flow and took that class; (even though I was reluctant due to the fact that I know I might run into what I've been trying to shut away there, and I did run into said thing,) from being in there practicing with it, being guided to open up to it, I've steped closer to getting it off of my chest and allowing my heart to shine out on it.
For the theme of compassion, I will be giving at least $1 to someone in need once a day for at least these 10 days. A friend suggested donating to help Chile, and I think that is a wonderful idea. I will get right on it tomorrow while @ work.
Shanti Om, Peach out~
