Even in LOVE when I go to the bank and the hardware store!

"...these days with the support and inspiration from many in this Portland community, I actually feel, sit with discomfort, stay with my vulnerability, be with the uneasiness of not having all the answers and not knowing what is going on and let the tears come and go. Sometimes I miss the mark and it is too hard, but I have learned that this too shall pass, and that things are always different after I rest my head." 

A few weeks ago, I went to Ace Hardware to get myself a shovel (it's about time) and some energy efficient light bulbs and as always, I am greeted very kindly, and there are always so many folks willing to help me find what I need. During the summer, my business partner and I regularly visited Ace to find paint colors for Roost and get equipment for our painting extravaganza! My business partner enjoyed many bags of their free popcorn that they have there...I, myself, did not indulge, partly because I have a feeling that the popcorn machine is centuries old, and I am a bit picky. We sat at this round table in the paint section, she eating popcorn, me talking about my day, us laughing hysterically about the fact that we were just sitting like we were at a kitchen table in one of our houses just kicking back with conversation and popcorn on a rainy Sunday afternoon about to watch a movie. ONLY in Portland.

It's like I have a blast going to the bank, even when I have no money to deposit and nothing in my account, but I sit down with one of the employees there and just chat about what I did over the weekend, or I go to Staples to get some paper, and a group of employees are having laughs about something related to something, but it's like I am part of their party...ONLY in Portland.

And, I probably could write stories about my many of running intos and conversations in the aisles of Whole Foods. Some wonderful people work at Whole Foods, and I am inspired by many of them. I have definitely been waiting in line to pay with a burrito in hand, tearing, as I drop an avocado on the ground...many of my friends have heard about the times at Whole Foods where I am just tearing up and walking around the aisles...not because I am sad about the fact that there is no organic celery ( I am sad about that these days), but just because I am so much more in touch with my emotions and honestly feel okay if I ran into someone I knew and I was in tears...I used to be a person who held in my emotions all the time and used overeating as a coping mechanism to not feel, but these days with the support and inspiration from many in this Portland community, I actually feel, sit with discomfort, stay with my vulnerability, be with the uneasiness of not having all the answers and not knowing what is going on and let the tears come and go. Sometimes I miss the mark and it is too hard, but I have learned that this too shall pass, and that things are always different after I rest my head.

Portland Yoga Studio Kickoff Event!

www.portlandyoga.com

“Asana is perfect firmness of body, steadiness of intelligence and benevolence of spirit. Perfection in asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless and the infinite being within is reached. From then on, the practitioner is undisturbed by dualities.” -Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

 

David Yearwood read from Iyenger's Light on the Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali in front of a beautiful room of yoga practitioners, new and old, as he began the free class offered at Portland Yoga Studio (PYS) Saturday afternoon in honor of its changing ownership from Stephanie Abrams to David Yearwood and Parks Mckinney.

Embracing new and old, old and new was the theme of the afternoon; as we entered different asanas (postures), we were invited to observe the duality of new and old. Were these asanas new or old to us? Was our experience in them old or new? Was the asana old, but the feeling new?  As teacher Chelsea Lachapelle pointed out towards the end of class while we were lying down with our legs up, we were in an old shape with a new perspective. We had previously been in downward dog with our legs together (same shape as lying down), but we were upside down then, and now we were looking up.

In that moment, I realized I am in an old space with a new perspective. In 2005, I participated in a Dance of Universal Peace with Elaine McGillicuddy (one of the original founders of Portland Yoga Studio and who was here today) at the PYS space. Then in 2007, when I was visiting Maine, I took a morning class at PYS, and I remember crying to myself in shoulderstand, having not done much yoga before, not knowing how to listen to my body, and it just seemed too hard...my mind was bouncing around in many directions.

Now, I am here once again back in this "old space" with a very new mind-body.  I have practiced yoga for probably 4 years now, have taught for 3 years, and have practiced ashtanga and vinyasa yoga; in addition, I have let go of many habits that were not serving me over the years and have learned to witness automatic reactions and make better choices. I feel new in this old space, and this old space is now being renewed in itself.

I am finding my way back to this space, which I have landed in before, and I am really excited about learning more about the Iyenger practice and practicing- a new practice for me, but in some ways it feels "old" because it just feels right to be here and makes sense.  As I practiced today, I found a sense of strength, balance, focus, ease, surrender, peace, freedom, and joy. During Shavasana (corpse pose) I was able to go inside and feel release and relief from the dualities of life. For just a passing moment, I became undisturbed, unshaken, unchanged by the dualities of joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain.

 

When you are fully in the body, you meet the soul! -BKS Iyengar

 

Amazing instructors, beautiful space, new schedule with asana and pranayama (breath control) classes, teen classes, yoga sutra study, and more.  Learn more! 

See you on and off the mat, 
Jeanette

Fun-a-Day!

"You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”  -William Purkey

Last January, my friend Kristin Lajeunesse of Will Travel for Vegan Food inspired me with her participation in Fun-a-Day with a daily posted video of her dancing in public every day in the month of January. I felt so good after watching her videos every morning; she totally inspired my day and encouraged me to be more fearless, playful, and to just let loose and dance already! I have to say, Kristin, you are one of the reasons that I finally got my butt to Ecstatic Dance Maine, where I totally unleashed my inner dancer. I guess I always felt self conscious about dancing, about my body, scared to be vulnerable, nervous that I didn't have the moves...but, you know what, I can dance to anything, and now when I hear music wherever I am I cannot help but snap my fingers, pump my shoulders and shake my booty!

So, in the month of January, do one fun thing a day every day during the month AND COMMIT to it, and have yourself a Fun-a-Day! Last year, I did it, and I made a green smoothie every day in the month of January, and it totally reinvigorated me during the beginning of the winter when I was in a lazy-not eating that healthy-not a lot of exercising kinda mood.

This year, my business partner and I will be enjoying a juice every day (or two juices a day to make up for the days we can't juice) in the month of January! I am more of a smoothie person, so I feel like I have never had fresh juice for more than a few days in a row. But I suppose owning a juice bar will make things somewhat easier! : )

What will you be doing?! Meditating, writing, singing, practicing yoga, giving hugs, chanting, praying...?

Please share what you will do for Fun-a-Day with me and follow our juicing adventure on facebook!

Check out this website for more information: http://www.artclash.com/

Last year, Portland had an event that showcased people's fun-a-day work, so stay tuned for that!

Let's all have fun this month, Now and Forever!

Jeanette