12/28/2016
anicca anicca anicca (change change change)—the time has come again for me to say goodbye and head off on a new adventure. here i sit reflecting with what feels like the entirety of the emotional spectrum pulsing through me.
a few years ago i was at a low point—a quarter-life crisis to be flippant. i had experienced deep personal and professional loss. i felt like i may never have fulfilling work or even be happy period. the voice of self-doubt seemed to drown out everything else. eventually it got to a point where i knew i needed to flip the script, or else i just wouldn’t be able to carry on.
so, i started practicing metta bhavana (lovingkindness meditation) with the lovely people at first unitarian madison. then my friend, emma, got me back on my yoga mat after an extended hiatus. i stopped listening to society and started listening to my body—seeking out things/people/places that made my soul happy.
one thing led to another, and i found myself spending the holidays in a 10-day silent vipassana retreat. and then i was living and training in costa rica with heidi michelle, heidi grace (h2om) & my inspiring YTT sisters at selva armonia.
before i knew it, i was a full-fledged yoga teacher (or 'yoga sharer', as i prefer). the past two years of work have brought so many new challenges and rewards to me. i’ve been pushed to my limits and then went above and beyond. the voice of self-doubt had been reduced to a faint whisper. (this s**t works)
this past year has been especially productive and rewarding, working at danyasa, the twisted warrior, & yoga on the lake. i have to give a huge thank you to sofiah, lucy, & ashley for taking a chance on me and letting me share my practice. and another huge thank you to my co-teachers—i’ve learned & integrated something from each of you, and you continue to inspire me.
and to the yogis who have come to my classes—words can’t express my gratitude. thank you for listening to my absurd house music and always being up to try whatever random idea that caught my fancy. it’s cliché, but you really have taught me so much. recently, some of you have reached out with farewell messages, stayed after class to chat about yoga & life, and i even received a few presents! it makes my heart swell and my eyes tear up with mudita (sympathetic joy) to hear that some of what i’ve shared has helped you find peace, stillness, and more ease as you move through your daily life. thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! i hope to see you sooner than later.
to quote siddharta gautama—the awakened one:
"he who has taken one step on the path is one step nearer the goal. he who has taken a hundred steps is a hundred steps nearer the goal. he who has taken all steps on the path has reached the final goal. you have to walk on the path yourself."
“behold, o monks, this is my last advice to you. all conditioned things in the world are changeable. they are not lasting. work hard to gain your own salvation.”
may we continue to deepen our practice & become more present
truly living & enjoying our lives
may this practice be for the benefit of all beings who suffer
may all beings be happy
may all beings be free
may all beings know true peace
namaste
