Where Did My Weekend Go??

Wherein Our Heroine's Mind is Rather Blown.

Eek. It is Monday, isn't it?

I don't exactly have laser-like focus this morning, so apologies Dear Readers. Today's entry is going to be even more self-indulgent than usual. I spent eight hours over the course of the weekend with 100 other great people in a workshop with John Friend, and my brain is still trying to pull in all of the little bits of information and wisdom I can remember and file them so I can continue to access them down the road.

Also, my muscles are going, "WHAAAA??? Whuzzat? Move? You have got to be joking." Because, when I say "workshop," I mean eight hours of Yoga, and some of it was stuff I had never tried before and didn't think I was capable of.

So, my brain is a confused jumble of sensory images: the black woman in a very colorful, fancy dress and elaborate hat, climbing the stairs of the church where our class was held, contrasted with casually-dressed Yoga students carrying mat bags and woven Indian blankets; the way the weather turned from lashing rain to cool sunshine over the course of two days; the joyful, muted sound of the choir upstairs during the opening meditation on Sunday; and the sound of laughter - wry, giddy, and cathartic - from people in deep stretching poses (the best Yoga teachers are often funny, funny people).

What did I learn? The thing that sticks most deeply in my head is the concept of perfection, and the idea that perfection is not a static point of achievement. A perfect pose or perfect practice (or perfect day) is one you live fully - you do the best you can, 100%, and that is perfect. Perfection is a day-to-day thing, not something "out there" in the future. So therefore, no procrastination, no excuses, no reserving energy because you think you know how much you have - just go and do, and whatever you do fully and to the best of your ability is perfect.

That's a lot to work on right there.

I had the honor of helping someone whose car was towed or stolen on Sunday - if she happens to check the URL on the card I gave her, I would be very grateful to know what happened and to make sure she is okay.

Posted: Monday - September 20, 2004 at 07:42 AM | |