Community

I was very inspired by a training I went to this weekend talking about the importance of building a sense of community in our classes as yoga teachers.  During my MS Yoga class I was filled with joy because, this class has a very strong sense of community.  These folks, get to class even though they are exhausted, some not able to walk, arriving in wheelchairs and others have to rely on family or public transportation to get to class.  They come early and chat with one another, never really complaining, but sharing how things are going.  At this particular class I had a dear friend and fellow yoga teacher assisting me who loves to sing and got the group singing and laughing.  We did our practice with our usual moments of pause and laughter.  Many of the students are dealing with exacerbations due to the change in weather and temperatures, therefore, I planned to do a restorative pose before our Savasana.   My 2 wonderful dedicated assistants and I went around and offered reiki which is a hands on energy healing practice.  As we were doing this I got this wave of joy because this was such a beautiful thing, unconditional loving human touch, something that often is missing in our  hectic lives.  When the class came to a close there was more laughter and the students glowed and were able to stand a little taller than when they arrived.  This class is evidence that yoga is not just asanas, but it is a practice for the mind, body and soul.

“Come out of the circle of time and into the circle of love.”  Rumi

These are Hearts of Love made by my dear friend Gail Spirit Sky. Students rest them in their palms to add a sense of weight for deeper relaxation as well as comfort.