New things

I get to take yoga classes for free at Whole Yoga because I teach there. All of the teachers were trained by the same group of people from the lineage that runs Shoshoni Yoga Retreat. Although all the teachers bring our own personalities and experience to our classes, I know I can expect quality classes with a spiritual perspective. I take one class a week and learn so much from the other teachers. It is nourishing for me personally and I get good ideas to use with my yoga students.
In the past month I decided to branch out. I have taken two workshops and a class with other teachers. My superb yoga teacher in Ylapa is strongly influenced by anusara yoga and since coming back I have wanted to learn more. This branch of yoga was created by John Friend. Anusara means stepping into the flow. I took a workshop in Boulder on fundamentals of anusara. It is a stretch for me to be a beginner again. In beginning to learn a whole new system, all of my stuff came up about doing it wrong. Many of the participants in the workshop were anusara yoga teachers or teachers in training. It was easy for me to feel like I didn't know what I was doing and criticize myself. Although my inner critic was alive and kicking, I noticed I also felt curiosity. It was progress that I was able to begin something new with the sense that there was a way that I really didn't know what I was doing and that being there to learn was OK. I came away from the workshop feeling a bit overwhelmed and confused and excited to try new things. The teacher was patient and clear and very good at demonstrating. I am going back for another workshop in two weeks.
Yesterday I went to a yoga class with another anusara teacher in Denver. The studio was dark and had no windows. There was loud heating that came on frequently that made it difficult for me to hear. I communicated my difficuly hearing. The teacher rarely demonstrated the poses and instead almost exclusively used verbal cues. This experience was very frustrating. Once again it brings to mind that the teacher of whatever the class is, whether it be yoga or underwater basket weaving makes a huge difference in the quality of the experience. This person was passionate about yoga and I learned some valuable things about alignment. I also learned more about what works for me and what doesn't.
It is good to know that I am in a place to be able to see difficult experiences as learning opportunuties more and more. I also took a zumba class and a Yin Yoga workshop. Zumba is aerobic dancing to envigorating latin music and Yin Yoga is a style of yoga where you hold sitting or reclining poses for five minutes. Both were very positive experiences and I recommend them. I am leaving for Sedona on Friday for a week and I look forward to taking the many yoga and zumba classes that are offered where we are staying. I hope I can be gentle with myself and enjoy myself and forgive myself when I don't. I learn so much from trying new things and believe it keeps my brain and body flexible and supports positive aging. It seems important to challenge ourselves to stretch into areas that may not be safe and comfortable, as well as participating in activities that are familiar and nourishing. Taking care of ourselves is an ongoing balancing act. It is crucial to notice our progress even if it seems small. I probably won't write next week because I want a week off while on vacation. I look forward to sharing with you when I return. What have you been wanting to try that you have been resisting? Invite your resistance in for tea and listen to it with compassion. Honor your fear and breathe into it. See if it is a fear you want to move beyond or not. If you do what would be the first step?