The Sweetest Perfection

perfect [adjective, pur-fikt]
exactly fitting the need in a certain situation or for a certain purpose.


Often when we think of the perfect moments of our lives, they're times filled with bliss, joy, happiness. Though last night on my bike ride home, I found perfection in a new way. I have been going through a lot of stuff lately. I won't get into the details because they're not important. What is important is how I have been feeling. Quite simply, I have been feeling "less than", "Not enough", and as though I may have taken some wrong turns. 


As I rode home, the clouds had begun to move in and then the rain, hail, thunder and lightening followed. I was soaked, cold, my skin was turning a bit red and puffy. Just as I began to curse yet one more bad decision to be on my bike in a storm, I rode under a bridge. The bridge was a temporary haven for three people who looked like they were without a home or stability. I suddenly felt like I got the big old wake up call from the universe, you know the temper tantrum kind rather than the whispery sweet kind. I hadn't been listening. 


I was so worried about what I don't have that I couldn't see all the amazing things I do have. In that moment I was so worried about getting from point a to point b that I hadn't stopped to recognize that I had the luxury of point b. 


The part of yoga that I have always loved is the spaces in between. Learning to thrive when you're not quite in the darkness or the light. It was in that very physical manifestation of the space in between work and home last night that I woke up. I realized that some things aren't happening for me in the way or in the amount of time that I would prefer, but I am still on the path and the stability and opportunities in my life have been taken for granted. 


Time to push forward, recognize the perfection in that moment, the way everything came together to last night to serve a certain purpose, to remind me to trust my training, my motivation, my path. 


Have you ever experienced this form of perfection? Have you had the universe deliver you a perfect combination of signs and physical manifestations in order to teach or unveil?

A Whisper to a Scream

When people find out that I am in a yoga teacher training program the question I am most often asked is "What makes you want to teach yoga?" (followed by "Oh you must be very bendy?"). That's a big question. How do you tell someone you may not know very well how profoundly yoga has impacted your life without over sharing or scaring them with the amount of passion you have?

Eventually I found the most concise and neutral way to describe that.

"Yoga helps me stay mindful of the connection between by mind, body, soul and the universe. With that awareness I am able to take my cues from the Universe and it has made my life a lot easier. I want to share that with other people."

So what does that mean? It means my life is really a lot easier because of the awareness yoga awards me.When the universe has a suggestion for you it starts out with a whisper. If you don't hear it, it will raise it's voice until the point that it's getting your attention like a two-year-old stamping it's feet, red-faced and in tears.

I now see the subtle messages, I hear the whisper that the Universe is sending to me. I rarely make the same mistakes over and over again hoping to get different results, I used to do this all the time. The best part, the Universe's messages aren't always telling you what not to do. Yeah, sure you get the "You'll regret that 9pm Chai when you try to sleep tonight" but you also get some amazing encouragement.

I began reaching out to people on a whim, a whisper, and then I see the doors of mutually beneficial opportunity fly open. I became more daring, more willing to go outside my comfort zone and the rewards have been amazing.

Do you have to practice yoga to hear the Universe's whisper? I don't think so. It's what has worked best for me but I have had similar experiences in hiking, climbing, and cycling. Anything that brings movement, thought, and a level of meditation or awareness with the universal connection will work.

I would love to hear from people with similar experiences. Have you heard the Universe whisper? What did it say?

You Get What You Need

The Sunday following Thanksgiving, The Womens Wilderness Institute hosted a celebration of gratitude in cooperation with the Colorado Mountain Club and the American Alpine Museum. I signed up to volunteer and man the sign-in table. It had been a long weekend of work, homework for Yoga Teacher Training and the general holiday stuff and I was ready to just sit at the table and smile and greet people.

Upon arrival I was asked if I could belay on the rock wall. A few volunteers weren't able to make it and I had my gear so of course I was in. While not a hardcore physical activity, belaying takes a lot of mental focus especially when belaying those new to climbing and children. So truth be told it took a few minutes to shift from my plan of sitting and greeting to being very active and engaged.

As I began to work with my first pair of climbers I could see the universe's plan unfolding a bit. After a weekend of studying for Yoga Teacher Training there was a lot of self-doubt beginning to brew. Would I be able to convey instructions in a way that people could understand? Am I really cut out to teach when there will always be so much to learn? How would my students respond to me?

All of that went out the window when I began to help two teenage girls with their first ever climbing experience. Not only was I going to be belaying but I would be teaching. I got them geared up so they were comfortable and felt safe. I taught them how to tie-in and the basic commands a climber needs to know. As one would climb I was able to watch her, provide coaching, and still answer the questions of the other girl about belaying and technique. All in all, I managed a lot in a very isolated area and window of time. I didn't think too much on how it would get done, just focused on doing it.

When it was time for them to take a break I was surprised at how fun it was. Then I made the connection, it was my passion for climbing that allowed me to share and teach and encourage. It will be my passion for yoga that will keep me centered and able to share and teach and encourage my yoga students.

So even in times of doubt, I know I can get past the hurdles because my passion drives me and I really believe this path I am on is exactly where I am supposed to be. The universe gave me just what I needed that day and luckily I was open to listen. You may not always get what you want but you always get what you need.