Kelly's Day 39: You're on your own

Yall, I practiced my first led Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga today, and by that, I mean I sweated more today than I have ever seen anyone sweat before. I realized that I was breathing three breaths for everyone ONE breath that Kino was counting. That's bad news...especially when you're in Marichyasana D, and she pauses the count entirely to help someone. I think I held that bad boy for 30 of my breaths, which probably is only about 6-12 of her counts...but whatev. I made it to the end, although I wasn't sure I was actually going to die during corpse pose. After practice, I drank EIGHTY-EIGHT ounces of water, ran to the organic market for some bean salad and juice, came back to my room and passed out for 20 minutes, got more yoga clothes on and booked it back to the studio for a two hour handstand clinic. Let's just say that I wasn't exactly feeling strong at this point in the day, but I learned some good stuff! After the handstand clinic, two of the girls and I went to an Israeli restaurant for dinner. I ate a LOT and had three more glasses of water. People! My pee is still yellow! I cannot comprehend! I'm practically drowning myself!

A couple of things stuck out today:
1~I was looking around at the cute yoga clothes they sell at Asheville Yoga Center when I overheard a schoolteacher talking about her students asking if she believed in Jesus. She said that her reply was, "I'll keep my faith to myself, and you can keep yours to yourself." I looked at her and asked, "Well, do you believe in Jesus?" Her eyes met mine, examining my expression closely as if she were trying to figure out if I was mocking...seconds passed, and she said, "No." She turned around and walked off.

2~Kino was explaining that in Ashtanga Yoga, there are some poses that there will just be no help with. "You're on your own." That's not exactly what an Ashtanga student wants to hear...trust me, I get frustrated with MY teacher when he doesn't explain to me exactly How to do something and why, but then I think that it's just part of the journey...figuring out how your body makes a particular pose work. She also explained that there is a lesson to be learned during the mastery of each pose. I would even stretch that further to say that each time you come to your mat for practice, there is a lesson to be learned. Some days, poses that are no big deal for me seem to be my demise. And, that's just life! We have to meet those challenges with perseverance and grace. I tend to get all fired up if things don't  go according to plan...MY plan, but what if God is just trying to get my attention in that situation? What if I stopped getting all riled up....stopped throwing myself a pity party, and silenced myself before my God? I promise you that I would hear from Him in those silent moments of frustration. I would hear Him from within those liminal spaces. In the breath between the breaths.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble."

~Psalm 46:1

Grace and Peace

~Kelly