Sorry I Left You Hanging!

Waiting with baited breath for the grand finale:-)

Okay, first, I must send out wishes for a happy mother's day to all the women in my life. You might not have children, but you have nurtured someone, or perhaps a furry "someone", and nurturing, loving, caring for anyone who needs it, that's what mothers do. I celebrate the Great Mother in all of us.

Back to yoga. The final session was very poignant. I know I wasn't the only one on the verge of tears for most of the day. As always, Max was the Master Teacher that he is, and he directed and handled our energy to perfection.

Most of the session was spent giving us final instructions in how to be the best teachers we can possibly be. We learned how to order our verbal instructions and how to speak so others can best understand us. We learned the best ways to sequence our classes to keep our students safe. Jamie gave us some final pointers in human anatomy and suggested points to reference in every posture.

The final pose we studied, practiced, learned and taught was handstand. This was planned to perfection. Max told us, at the beginning, that handstand is a very rajasic pose, meaning that it generates intensity and heat. He told us that handstand is a pose that is inspiring, exciting, confidence-building, and even life changing. We all got to experience handstand, several times. We all got to teach handstand to another person and to help them experience handstand. Max was right. The energy in the room exploded! We were all happy, excited, proud, accomplished. It was the loudest day of the workshop. Everyone was touched. We all left feeling capable of teaching yoga, capable of changing our own lives, capable of helping others.

Later last night, we all gathered at Jennifer's house to relax and connect with each other one final time. It was the perfect finale, filled with happiness and hope. I introduced Mike to Max. I have to add that Mike does not practice yoga and really, has no interest. I could tell that he definitely felt Max's presence. He really enjoyed everyone he met and had a great time. I don't know if he will turn into a yogi, ever. I'm still glad he was willing to share the experience with me and keep the possibility open.

So, I do have one more thing to add: I know some of you reading this have already experienced the wonderful things yoga can do for your body, your mind, and your spirit. Some of you have tried it, and are not convinced. And, some of you have yet to dip your toes into the vast ocean that is yoga. I urge you, all of you: try it, and try it again. You might not find the style that is right for you immediately. You might not find a teacher you connect with on the first try. Keep on trying; it is SO worth it.

I hope I get the opportunity to teach you, or to learn from you, or both.

Om, shanti-
Cheryl