Full Circle
May 6, 2024
Before the onset of 2020 and all the chaos that followed, I was a member at a hot yoga studio in Raleigh. Regular classes were a part of my routine, and I always knew that no matter what was going on in my life, that my 75-minute class was, well…all mine. When I throw down my mat, it’s my time to work out and work in. Then the world closed, and I never went back but for a handful of times.
By nature, I’m not a competitive person. I don’t mind much who has a nicer car, clothing, and stuff, and I really don’t care who can beat me at any sport. I’m no athlete! You will never see me rolling big tires and doing crazy exercises in competition. I love how it unites people, and that’s fantastic. I understand the value of building community, and it is fun to know that many of our clients enjoy that! It’s just not my thing. I am however competitive with myself meaning each time I feel that I’m experiencing an uplevel, I’m curious about going deeper.
I have been up in New York for a few months. If you are a client and didn’t know, then that’s great. Three cheers for virtual employment! Thank you to all the ones who have cheered me on from afar! Spending some much-needed time helping out family and taking the time to get back to Jeanine was necessary. Oh, how Jeanine has missed hot yoga!
My sister (I have three) invited me to a hot yoga class right across the street from Vassar College. It’s a gorgeous studio filled with white flowing drapes, gentle and lovingly spirited teachers, and the perfect temperature of heat for me – 105-112 degrees. A body is so much more flexible in the heat. I appreciate a week at the beach or a summer evening stroll, but I don’t like being hot, so go figure – typical “multidimensional” Gemini, and I only like intense heat during yoga class.
I unfolded on my drenched mat, and as I did, all my sadness, fears, and worry began to feel safe to do the same. I controlled my breathing more steadily, went deeper into my poses, and went further. A further that is everything to the one who feels it and nothing to others who don’t. Yet every beautiful body, big and small, in that class gets it. It’s THE work of life. Aligning yourself and building some strength and muscles in the process. Not crumbling through the uncomfortableness of life is important to me, and the Lord knows, there are some very uncomfortable poses to work through. Yoga is like life.
When I shared a room with my younger sister decades ago, we occasionally would hold hands between the spaces in our headboards. At the end of class, everyone lies down on their mat. We are all sweaty, exhausted, and renewed at the same time. It’s over 110 and it’s been a 75-minute workout. Soft music is playing now, and the teacher places a lavender infused, cold towel across everyone’s forehead. It feels divine. I reach over and hold my sister’s hand. Full circle feels like coming home. And I did.
Where can you go to collect a little bit of your long-lost self?
