01 aug Lilli Alatorre
‘Yoga My Rock’
Like most of us, I have had some rocks in my life but yoga is my favorite rock. In the year I’ve been practicing yoga, I’ve understood more about myself than I have in most of my life; my thoughts, my actions, my re-actions, non-reactions, my limitations, my non-limitations, letting go and realizing how simple and silly things sometimes are… appreciation, gratitude… the essence of me. Who “I” am and the connectedness we all have.
I was never interested in yoga. What is yoga? Slow movements, sitting, stretching? It didn’t sound interesting to me. Frankly, it sounded boring. I was not ready to have this patience.
My Mom always told me, “You should try yoga, you’ll like it”. My Mom somehow is always right.
I tried yoga last fall. The first class had me so curious by how loose my back had felt from just one class. This had me wondering. I began to wonder, what would happen… if I see this much difference in my body, if I came more often. I had the time, so I began the journey. I started to practice intensely in the later months to come and the more I practiced, the more I wanted to practice and the more I was surprising myself; more surprises came. Things in my life began to shift and change; my job, my family, my friends, my relationships, even the way people reacted to me in my presence. I have never paid this much attention to myself, I have never had this much appreciation and I have never been this entertained by life. Yoga has also been a therapy for me. Past negative behaviors have left since my practice has begun.
I became more and more in line with that feeling, that vibration that I felt was right, new sensations like I had never experienced before. I felt it and I wanted more. It felt true to me. I like this and I want to see more.
Concentration, dedication, strength, weakness, quietness, noise, thought, thoughtlessness, absence, presence, sensation, happiness, connectedness… my favorite experiences in Yoga. The changes in my body, the quietness in my mind, the freshness in my life are the truths I have experienced and are what have me coming back, and of course our beloved Yoga Master Ankan. I follow his example of curiosity for life and grasp the chance to catch his words of wisdom… I cannot be more thankful for the Love of Yoga.
As my journey continues, I look forward to seeing what’s next, what more changes will come, what will be released, seeing, experiencing and enjoying every moment at Yoga Kumar and thankful to have the opportunity to be here. Keep smiling. Yoga, my rock. My favorite rock.
Thank you.