Day 2: Do Three Hours of Yoga...

If only my dear friend Leila would make it that simple:

do yoga for 3 hours spend an hour thinking about someone in your life, maybe someone who is a difficult person for you maybe someone you have ever taken for granted and think about the challenges and difficulties and obstacles and harm they have faced and experienced in their life. think about all the ways you see them show strength, reclaim their sense of safety their sense of self, their sense of well-being and faith in themselves and the world around them. Let yourself be filled with the incredible accomplishments that person has made. Share your thoughts with them.

I've taken many a yoga class at my yoga studio; so many that I work study there in order to take classes as a reduced (free!) rate. This one was the hardest, not because of time but because of the hour-long deep focus on "my person." My ego kept getting in the way. When I was able to concentrate on this individual, there were moments of deep pain, gratitude, awe, and fear about having to disclose all that came up in the practice. I'm surprised by how vulnerable this practice made me feel, how much the practice forced me to see and hear "my" person's words and actions in a way that I've resisted for some time. I'm thankful for my yoga teachers Justin and Keely for their support, instruction, and creation of such a safe and inviting studio. I was happy to have these space/moment for working through feelings.

End of hour three, savasana pose (thanks for the photo Keely!)

Post yoga email 

* on privacy: I haven't figured out how much is too much to share, particularly when it involves my interaction with others (such as this email). I didn't expect self-care to involve tending to the safety, privacy, and well being of others. As an artists/performer I see all of this as part of the larger project of performing tactics of self-care (which, I am learning, may be quit emotional/painful). I've blanked out "my person's" name and some relevant details in order to maintain their safety and anonymity.