Saturday, July 23

Usually I will think about the theme for the class I will be teaching the day or night before the class.  For my Saturday class, I had been thinking of "gratitude."  


Our 40 days challenge is coming in to the final week.  I have heard many stories of people experiencing such a change in their bodies and their minds after spending so much time on their mat.  I have also heard students say that while they have enjoyed the challenge it has also helped them put certain things in their life into perspective.  Choosing between seeing a friend who is in town for one day and the challenge and choosing the friend over a yoga class.  So much gratitude for each and every experience of the past 5 weeks.  

On my way in to teach, I stopped at a gas station.  I couldn't ignore the blaring newspaper headlines:  Gunman kills 92 in Norway.  Before class I read the article that the gunman set off bombs in downtown Oslo and then went to an island and for at least 45 minutes he killed teenagers who were at a retreat.  He wore police garb and beckoned them to him as if he was going to help them and then would shoot them.  How could this happen?  Why did this happen?   I teach a great deal about the concept of trusting life, trusting the process.  Being grateful for what is placed on our path.  That everything happens for a reason.  But there is still the why?  And the gunman obviously has his reasons.  

As I began the class without trying to make sense of this event - I asked the 45 people in class to dedicate their practice to the people of Norway and to anyone who has been affected by what happened.  To offer up love, peace, compassion, and hope and to hold these people in our hearts during the practice.  While we may not be able to console them or physically reach out to them.  We can certainly think of them in this time of sadness and hold space in our hearts for their grief.  Without speaking about gratitude I certainly felt grateful for having the opportunity to feel connected through our space, through our hearts as we connected to something more than ourselves. 

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

Mother Teresa


Much peace and love,


Lori