What you've been waiting for...

It's been a busy and wonderful week. Here are the highlights:

My shipment of yoga clothes from prAna arrived this week, a birthday gift from my better half who spoils me rotten. I would never have spent this kind of money on exercise clothes, I mean...I am a yoga teacher...I have no money. So I was a bit skeptical at the prices and whether the clothes would really be that much better quality than my Target and Kohl's outfits. I was so delightfully surprised! Inside of the brown paper package (can't help but sing "A Few of My Favorite Things" from Sound of Music) was the most beautiful, soft and well-fitting yoga clothes I have ever worn. On the outside of the package was written the same thing that was filling my mind....Thank you prAna for understanding.

Exactly!

The weekend was a lovely one. Just hot enough to feel like summer but not so hot that you are glued to the a/c. I taught a wonderful outdoor class on Saturday morning and had a record attendance of 14 people! It is finally beginning to feel like a community class and I couldn't be more pleased. After the outdoor class I taught for another teacher friend so that she could attend a bigger, more attended outdoor class in St. Louis. It must have been a good weekend for outdoor yoga because I was able to convince a few dear yogi friends to join me at our teacher's (Emmet's) outdoor class this morning in Kirkwood Park. It was exactly what I needed and what I had been waiting for all week....I am so glad I got the opportunity to go. I needed Emmet's words, the blue sky and my friend's company so much today. I would not have traded it for the world.

My yoga teacher rides a motorcycle.

5 Minutes of Fame...or 5 Minutes of Lame?

Tim Ezell from Fox 2 news was at our hot yoga studio today filming a segment for his fun man-about-town spot on the morning program. We had very little information about what was going to happen once the camera crew got to the studio. We knew that they were concerned about the intense heat and humidity effecting the equipment. I was subbing for another teacher by chance this morning and it was my responsibility to cool the studio down before and during my 9:30 class so that the cameras wouldn't melt during the 11:00 filming. Needless to say, my hot yoga students were not very hot at all today. One student even caught my eye at one point and he gave me a little "brrrrr...I'm freezing over here in this nice 70 degree breezy room" look and a small shiver. Still, I did spy a few students who still managed to work up a sweat.

Not so hot yoga

With all of the doors and windows wide open, the studio was full of distractions....cars pulling in and out of Wal-mart parking lot, staff moving about in the office outside the yoga room, and yes even that delicious breeze was a distraction. I had a difficult time staying focused on the sequence, which is very rare. I wondered if my students were having just as hard a time concentrating on their practice. I tried to remind them that this is a great lesson in yoga. I told them that we have to learn to let go of all distractions and focus the mind and to remember that this is how all classes in India are--noisy and distracting. This is the practice...the art of ignoring!

The crew arrived and we set up for a shortened version of our normal 90 minute hot yoga sequence, with the owner leading the group. Our talent, Tim, is a goofy personality that demonstrates activities in a lighthearted manner, bringing a fantastic sense of humor to everything that he does. I noticed that he was much more good looking in person and much less nerdy and wasn't too bad at yoga. 

Tim Ezell trying out another activity with a fun attitude.

I ended up right next to him and wound up being Bridget's demonstrator for most of the filming. This added a little pressure, not gonna lie. I thought, "Wow! I think if you want someone to work really hard at something just film them and threaten to air it on tv and they will work twice as hard as normal!" I did fall out of standing bow pose at least once and reminded myself to let go of my ego, but the rest went fairly well. It will be very interesting to see how the half hour of footage gets assembled for the 2 or 3 minute spot. I hope that it turns out well and the film of me falling doesn't make the cut....then again maybe another good lesson in yoga....accept your practice wherever you are!!

Just, please, if you happen to see it when it airs on tv, be gentle.....

Live on PURPOSE!

Wisdom from the lobby of Oprah's Lifeclass Tour

Q: What do YOGA and OPRAH have in common?

A: More than I knew!

When I arrived at the newly renovated Peabody Opera House with my girlfriends yesterday, I had little idea how profound my day was about to be. We came to see the taping of Oprah's new Lifeclass the Tour in St. Louis. The tickets were free and when invited, of course I said yes enthusiastically and immediately--as I have recently become inclined to embrace opportunities every chance I get and who doesn't want to spend all day with your best friends and OPRAH? That's a no-brainer! So, I didn't think much about why I happened to end up in the audience that day...it was a random and lovely surprise...right? Some of the first words out of Oprah's mouth were these: "You are NOT here on accident. Each and every one of you are supposed to be here today." Boy, she was right! The message of the show was to live your life on purpose and with purpose, instead of merely floating life without awareness of why you are here.

"Use your passion as an indicator for your purpose," said Bishop T. D. Jakes, the guest speaker and influential leader and global humanitarian--Senior pastor of The Potter's House. This force of a man has been named "America's Best Preacher" by Time Magazine and is a wealth of inspiration and knowledge. The main message of his talk today was to find your purpose and live for that purpose. For those who have experienced struggle or strife, Jakes says to allow that experience to propel you toward your purpose.

The similarity between what I have been learning through Yoga and the lessons from Oprah's lifeclass tour was uncanny! The idea that you were put here on this earth for a specific purpose and that your work here is to evolve into the highest expression of yourself is the message of both my yoga teachings and Oprah's class. This is revolutionary and necessary thinking! Our modern Western world is consumed with racing to the top of the success ladder and doesn't often condone following your bliss. I am elated to see this wisdom being brought forth by leaders like Oprah and Bishop Jakes. Both are such influential leaders that I think they will be able to reach those who would not be drawn toward Yoga.

Oprah In St. Louis

This was an exciting experience, not only because it once again confirmed what I have learned and am still learning to embrace, but because it made me realize that we are not alone as seekers. there will soon be many more people looking for more in their lives, more people wanting to live their lives with purpose. The shift that is occurring in the minds of so many human beings is a natural response to our capitalistic society and the pressure to maintain a certain level of "success." We are moving from wanting a life full of material success and financial wealth to desiring one of personal fulfillment and purpose!

The times are indeed a-changin'! So support Oprah's OWN network if you can because I believe that she is truly sincere about bringing the world a new way of thinking about success. She is really attempting to change our world, one show at a time and bring to the masses a new way of living life. Bravo, Oprah, bravo!