Transition Time

"Your left ankle is directly under your left knee.  Your back toes are pushing into the earth and simultaneously pulling organic energy up through your foot, into your back ankle, up your leg and buttocks and into your core. Your right hip comes forward and your legs isometrically pull towards each other. Your back thigh lifts.  Smile.  Feel the beauty - feel the light. Now - JUMP SWITCH!"

Transitions are inevitable and you can choose to welcome them or drown in them.  As one of my amazing teachers says, "You can be a pedestrian throughout this life or you can live life to the fullest."  Transitions can be tough, because they mean change. Transition from summer to winter.  Transition to a new location. Transition with relationships. But they also welcome new opportunities.  An opportunity to clear your mind - to build something new - to set goals for yourself - to become a stronger person.

A self-taught yogi I know who is perfectly content "stretching" on his own asked, "Why spend money at a yoga class when I can just do what I know right here in my living room?" Good point. I do love getting in a good stretching session with the kitchen within reach but I tend to skip out on things. I tend to have more of a "monkey mind"at home. I don't have the opportunity of hearing the waves of breath around me.  I don't challenge my core strength enough. I don't have the benefits of partner yoga.  I even tend to skip savasana (the best part!).  I love my home practice. But I challenge myself to transition from my my mat in my room, get in the car, and learn something from a more experienced teacher with other yogis all around me.

I've realized in my years of transitions from one yoga class to another that it's not just about stretching. It's about meditating. It's about growing. It's about becoming more and more aware of what the body and mind are capable of.

My teacher also inspired me to transition to fall-colored nails. I love change!

The first time I heard "jump switch" I looked around and saw classmates perform a scissor-kick that seemed impossible with burning thighs.  But on the next command, I let my thighs burn a little more and let the energy soar through me and my back leg became my front leg....and the corners of my lips turned up into a smile.

Om namah