Well, I ended my 2012 with a bang! Quite literally, if you consider the crim that happened at my apartment complex. But on a higher note, I made sure I had a wonderful new year's eve.
Monday afternoon, I spent some quality time with a few of my girlfriends. We ate at OPA! Greek Cafe. It was delicious. I admit to having cheese (dairy) and wheat, two of my biggest food group nemises. I'm paying for it now though. ;) We ate, then went to grab tea, and hung out at Parker's place for a while. In the evening, I went to my first ever Journey Dance at The Movement Shala downtown. One word: AMAZING. I felt so free and alive. It was guided, but completely free style...for example, she says, "Paint a rainbow with your hands" or "Caress the floor as you would a beloved's face" and things like that. It was amazing how different everyone was, but how beautiful the heart dance is. I found a partner and we used each other as props. It was the coolest experience ever. I'd definitely do it again, and it shouldn't surprise anyone if I ever get certified to teach that as well as yoga.
After the dance class, I went to my work Cartel, to say hi and grab some good ole green tea, and then headed to the yoga studio for new year yoga with Tanya and Jamie at Yoga Oasis. That too was wonderful! I had a blast! We journaled in the beginning, sang the mantra, "Om sri maha lakshmie namaha" 108 times, and then began our flow through asana. We had to pick a pose to bring in the new year, and all I knew was that I wanted to do a backbend to open up my heart. I originally thought kapotasana, but then I remembered when I was at the John Friend workshop and I got into ganda bherundasana for the first time ever, and how freaking good it felt, how accomplished and liberated I felt. I just knew that that was "the one" pose for the year. The pose that embodies everything I thought of from 2012, and how I want 2013 to feel. In this pose, the chest, neck and chin lie flat on the floor, and shoulders are up and back. The feet reach to touch the head (I can't do the head touching... YET). This symbolizes an anchoring of the heart, all the while keeping the heart open and receptive and willing to love. It isn't the most comfortable pose, which for me, symbolizes how life brings us great challenges, discomfort, pain, etc...but it is all for our own greater good. These challenges force us to grow and expand, and in the end, bring us an exhilerating feeling in our hearts and minds and emotions. It reaveals to us, all that we have accomplished, and all we have survived through, and how we are now in an even better place because of it. I am excited for this year, which I am sure will bring me many, many more lessons to learn, so that I can continue to grow and experience this life to the fullest. I am grateful for those who have blessed my life with their presence and light. I have all I need within my heart, for God lives there. My soul lives and breathes the breath of God throughout my entire being. I am breathed, animated, and loved by the one force which breathes, animates, and loves us all.
Namaste
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