WHEN THE RUBBER MEETS THE OUCH

I went to my first hard yoga class in the new year.  Like it was, hard.  It’s been so long since I’ve gone to a really challenging yoga class, it was like getting doused with cold water.  But it was good.  My mind achieved quiet because it was too busy focusing on not collapsing into the millionth (slight exaggeration here) chaturanga.  And it felt good to M O V E.  My body is slow and sluggish.  It remembers the movements and the poses, it just needs time to achieve less effort.  Days later, my body is still on fire.  But it feels good and I can’t wait to go back.

Work paralleled these physical challenges.  I came in from my days off to be told that they were doing away with my position and they were not sure when that would be.  One of my supervisors had taken another job, they encouraged me to apply for it, and if I did not get it they would find another position for me to do.  Ouch.  There aren’t very many departments there, so it’s a mystery to me what other position that would be.

There are many pros and cons behind this decision.  If I was offered the job I would also absorb my current duties which would make for a very stressful work load.  It would greatly advance my career.  It was a great opportunity.  On the flip side I had just take H out of childcare, this would mean putting him back in 3 days a week.  I would spend WAY less time with him.  And I would have to put my yogic longings on an indefinite hold.   My mind buzzed for a couple of days.  Staff came in and out of our office, gossiping and plotting. Normal work was hard to focus on.

Circumstances and life spin me out of control, based on how firm a grip I have on that control.  As the dust settled I realized that I was silly for getting riled up.  Wasn’t I planning on giving my notice as soon as teacher training was set in stone?  I have the finances to sustain us job or no job.  This spin may have just been meant to be.  Perhaps it is the final kick in my behind out the door.  One past yoga teacher used to say to never get too attached to one pose and to try not to hate any poses.  I see the wisdom in this on and off the mat.

I meant to make a pros and cons list about applying for the job.  Then I thought of the biggest con, not spending enough time with my son.  For me this was the only factor, the con that would outweigh any pro.  I’m not sure how or when I will tell my supervisors, but I’m sure it will work itself out.

I love Escape to Yoga in Sherwood so much.  I asked the lovely owner, Annette if I could take some pictures of the space, and she graciously agreed.  Interspersed below are some outdoor images that reminded me of that awesome tree mural.  My favorite spot in the room to practice yoga is right next to the tree so I can look at it when we do twists.

The space is 1,700 square feet which is nice, many people can fit into a class.  It was formerly a ballet studio and was built in 1916.  Read more about it here.  There are many different levels of classes to choose from and there are great specials.

Lastly, on an unrelated note, the coolest thing happened to me during work in the midst of all of the hoopla.  Our support is outsourced to India.  They are a nice, succinct, orderly bunch.  They don’t make small talk though, why would they?  At the end of this lady helping me to re-install my printer to my computer, she asked me what my hobbies were.  “Yoga”, I replied.  She said, “I like to dance.  Hip-hop and some Indian pop music.  Would you like to know some names of some artists?”

It was such a pleasant, human interaction in the midst of such drama, I was taken aback.  With all of the strife in the world right now, the bombings, the shootings, the injustices, it was so refreshing to have a human reach out to me across so much space and such vast cultural differences.  We are really one, I guess if we could just realize that.