hello new year, how goes it?

amazing, amazing.  a whole new year for us to play with.  i have to say, even with the extreme downs of this past year, i am very positive about the new one.  as it’s been discussed, nothing ever comes from negativity, but not only that, i just feel deep down, very positive.

christmas was a storm of knitting activity.   i finished a blanket for the MIL, finished many hats, (even one for myself…selfish me), and put into action a knitting plan for the next year.  it seems though, knitting isn’t giving me the same spark that it used to.  i realized that knitting for me, will be a hobby at best.  it is, without a doubt, a great stress reducer in my life.  i love finished product, i love creating something both lovely and functional, but (BUT), i am not obsessed with knitting.  i don’t live and breathe knitting.  (for god’s sakes april, please tell us this is not leading to ANOTHER blog that you won’t update ever)

this year, i’m working on something that will sustain me, and my family, both physically and spiritually (and possibly financially, but probably not).   here is a note i wrote detailing my plan, and it is still something that i hope to accomplish.

Very roughly, this is my new plan…

It is my plan to change my life up a little, if nothing else, and ultimately, I would like to teach yoga one day in the near future, to people who need it (because everyone does).  For a few years now, I have had a dream of one day teaching yoga to returning war veterans as a treatment for PTSD.  More and more research is being done on this, and it is becoming more clear that there are ways we need to help the men and women returning from the battlefields (20% of all soldiers returning home have some form of PTSD, with the numbers rising higher daily), and studies are showing that yoga is one simple, drug free way that we can help them.   Unfortunately,  as I do more and more research on that subject, I realize that I may need training beyond simple yoga teacher training, but I have to start somewhere.

So, to begin, I need to steady my practice.  For ten years, I’ve been an on and off again disciple of yoga.  I’ve randomly taken classes, and never really had more than a 20 minute home practice, that only really included sun salute A and sometimes B.  Seems like life (and my lack of motivation) were always getting in my way.  In my small, but long experience with the practice, it has helped me in ways that I find hard to put into words.  I have come to truly believe that yoga is beneficial for everyone.  I feel that if I could teach, I would have a bigger understanding of my body, my life, and build my compassion for the world around me (which, if I’m being completely honest, could use a ‘re-tooling’ every now and then).  Just maybe, I could also help others understand their bodies, and by helping the individual, benefit the entire community.  My goal is to make yoga not only physically available to everyone, but also, emotionally available to everyone, regardless of religious denomination, or spiritual belief system.  You do not need to be (or think) that you are highly spiritual, nor do you need to be in touch with eastern philosophy.  It can be beneficial to all.  It is not a unique, or original approach to teaching yoga, but it is one that I think is under utilized in the community.

My immediate beginning would be to take 3-4 classes a week to improve my form, and strength, and to steady my at home practice of at least an hour a day (when not taking classes).

The Plan

In the next six months I will be writing a blog about my experiences with visiting many various yoga studios in the Boston area.  The reason for visiting many different studios is this:

1. Since I will eventually be teaching, I would like to explore as many different styles of yoga, styles of teaching, and styles of studio settings as possible…talking with teachers, exploring all of my options before I pick a program for my training and stick to it.  Individuals are just that, individual.  Each individual needs to be taught appropriately, exploring different teaching styles, I feel, will help me be open to many ideas and styles in my own practice.

2.  Very simply, I’m broke, and classes are expensive.  I’ve noticed that most studios have new member special pricing, and as my husband and I do not have jobs at the moment, these new member discounts will be the best way for me to keep my practice going in a studio setting.

3. My blog will be a place to go if you decide to take a class in the Boston area, for examples of styles, names of recommended teachers of those styles, and overall reviews of the studios (although, I will post no ‘bad’ reviews of any of the studios, because, let’s face it, even if it’s the worst yoga studio ever, they are still bringing a beautiful practice into the world, and that’s a good thing).  Also, most of these studios are small businesses, and I’m sure that they, as I am, are struggling in this economy.  Hopefully my blog will provide a little free advertising for them.  I will not only be posting about the studios, but also posting my personal experience with trying to keep up with yoga, while also trying to raise a young child, and not letting other aspects of my life fall to the side.

so, that’s it.  a new blog.  a new journey.  but this one will not be forgotten.  the knitting will go on.  and on and on.  and eventually, i will knit and yoga, and raise my little family with ferver.  i think i have two readers, i hope you will come with me. 🙂

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” – Gautama Buddha