With Gratitude
Today, on the day of the Guru - I crossed the river to take my yoga class with a few friends. My wonderful teacher, Suzie Hurley, the owner of Willow Street Yoga Center - the largest Anusara Yoga studio with the largest number of Anusara certified teachers - taught a rocking good class, with at least four other Anusara teachers taking the class.
Suzie's theme was gratitude. She began by speaking of the chakras and particularly of the heart chakra's central point - noting that three chakras were below the heart - and three were above it. We chanted "Yum" - the mantra of the heart chakra to open our hearts as she led us through a sequence of poses that required us to melt our hearts as a direct action of "Opening to Grace" - and the active engagement of "shoulder loop."
Suzie also asked the class to share something we were grateful for - asking some of us individually. When she asked me - I said I was grateful for all the people in my life. It was wonderful to hear what other folks were grateful for.
At the end of class, my friends and I drove home - thinking of so many things for which we could give thanks.
This was a special class - because my teacher used the comments and quotes I had used in a class I had taught last summer. It was beautiful to hear how she wove the essence of my centering into the Anusara principles and yet made it uniquely her own.
On this day when the student honors the guru - the lines between teacher and student were somewhat blurred. My teacher honored me as a colleague and student - by enriching and enlarging my insights - and sharing them so gracefully with a larger and different audience from the seat of the teacher.
As I have often said - we are always teachers and students to one another - and I am grateful for that!
Suzie's theme was gratitude. She began by speaking of the chakras and particularly of the heart chakra's central point - noting that three chakras were below the heart - and three were above it. We chanted "Yum" - the mantra of the heart chakra to open our hearts as she led us through a sequence of poses that required us to melt our hearts as a direct action of "Opening to Grace" - and the active engagement of "shoulder loop."
Suzie also asked the class to share something we were grateful for - asking some of us individually. When she asked me - I said I was grateful for all the people in my life. It was wonderful to hear what other folks were grateful for.
At the end of class, my friends and I drove home - thinking of so many things for which we could give thanks.
This was a special class - because my teacher used the comments and quotes I had used in a class I had taught last summer. It was beautiful to hear how she wove the essence of my centering into the Anusara principles and yet made it uniquely her own.
On this day when the student honors the guru - the lines between teacher and student were somewhat blurred. My teacher honored me as a colleague and student - by enriching and enlarging my insights - and sharing them so gracefully with a larger and different audience from the seat of the teacher.
As I have often said - we are always teachers and students to one another - and I am grateful for that!
Comments
It's the primary way to be a magnet for good, despite outer circumstances.