We need both in this life of dualism. Our body is a beautiful microcosm – it’s cosmic within. We know so much through advances in medicine and science but even to Dr. Hinohara (refer back to my 10/5/2013 post), much is still shrouded in mystery. Some may refer to our body as a refined machine to marvel but as a non-medical person, I am in awe of it as a temple that houses our divinity… at its peak, I am in awe of it and …as it withers and ages, I am in awe of it. Modern medicine is amazing but it does not reverse the clock. What can we do? We need to tend to it … lovingly. Just like my grandmother used to pray with seasonal offerings, we need to make an offering to our own alter… in my case, through yoga and other movements …to lift the spirits. All things important to us, we have to care for them or they wither away and languish or even perish…
More on this later – just realized I am subbing a yin class tomorrow for a wonderful teacher. May I just say that when I sub, I am not a replacement – I am just a provider of another style, another guide, a facilitator for you to find or stay on course on your own path. Just like there are many sherpas on the Himalaya, the maps we share are the same but we may not take the same route… the trail and the terrain may look a bit different … so please don’t expect me to replicate the same blue-print of your regular teacher whose style is unique and irreplaceable.
I like to sub as with me, I like breath of fresh air and enjoy the change in the routines. I tend to always unroll my mat at the same place, I always order green tea soy latte with no syrup, I always like to watch certain shows, I always like to X Y and Z… we are all a creature of habit. To me, it’s like this: Subbing allows both the teacher and students to experience another style, another personality …. another way – it’s a good thing. Also it means that the regular teacher entrusted this humble sub just there to please by sharing her practice – Thank you Myra & Marcella! I know this yoga tribe to be filled with brilliant gems…you are both precious, like such gems. Thank you for your trust (that I won’t do something crazy!).
At Judith Lasater’s advance-level teacher training, we talked about how we hate subbing because of EGO…some egos have a distaste for anything called a “substitute”. Seems to me, there’s a prejudice or a perception that a sub is less than or not as good – it’s that notion you got from your school-boy/girl days growing up where subs really were there just to do the very minimum to get by, most with little passion. Post school, we need to see it as an opportunity to learn another way or a chance to enjoy a breath of fresh air. Prejudice clouds perception – why not see it as an opportunity to gain freedom from self imposed entrapments. It’s an opportunity to explore something new. Be assured it is not a waste of your precious time – Anything “new” is good for your brain circuitry! As for your nerves, maybe you will grow new synapses just by coming in contact with me, serving as a sub:) What a thought! My teacher, Judith Lasater herself started from subbing while she raised 3 children. I respect her authenticity for teaching regularly only when she felt she was able to really give all to her students. Because that’s what it takes… ALL.
I resigned from teaching regularly Thursday evenings at a lovely community center with lovely people for reasons I don’t feel like disclosing. Yesterday, I was asked at a studio from a well meaning lady, “when would you be teaching?” – while it was flattering, I felt the pressure. I might have said something about ahhh, figuring out the schedule, etc. blah, blah (read “excuses”)- I should have said, thank you – let me know what works for you and I will try my best to accommodate. I am sorry I didn’t. I hope to be at that place sooner than later.
See you tomorrow AM – I will focus on stomach/digestive system… our “gut” so that you can live more true to your “gut” feelings. Your physical state totally affects your emotional state of being. It’s all connected. Unclog & detox (more through foods we eat) your meridians and allow the prana to flow to all your vital organs – feel the flow. It’s my “gut” feeling – Very important region in our body as we head into the holiday season when we get overloaded with To Do list that snowballs. Hope to relieve you a bit through the magic of yoga:)
