Secret Magic

The world is changing fast. I am feeling this acutely because most of the young people I know well are now in adolescence. Recently I heard someone say that there are very few things in life that can help you grow as a person as having a teenager. I am grateful for my blessings and yes, I am challenged and drawn into the world anew by the wonderful teenagers in my life. I think they may have more to teach me than I do them.

But I can’t help myself, I wish they’d come to yoga with us! I see secret magic (even after all these years). In a time where one’s attention is preyed upon with voracity, I think it’s very valuable to spend time in an spacious and focused environment. It’s valuable to quietly move through an activity with presence and inner awareness - and to do so in a supportive, intentional environment inhabited by others doing the same.

As you may know, one of the things we practice in Ashtanga yoga is attention. I’ve given this plenty of comment over the years, but I recently realised that I may have never mentioned that practicing attention doesn’t mean capturing other people’s attention. It’s capturing and directing your own attention intentionally, and in the case of yoga, internally. Maybe this was obvious? But suddenly I questioned that because we live in a time where capturing other people’s attention (online? en masse?) has become literal child’s play.

From my heart, I wish for all of us to live deeply at home in ourselves, independent, conscious, and unburdened by external noise.

Ashtanga yoga probably isn’t going to save the world (so don’t get too caught up in those moves!), but presence might. I am in support of simplicity, spaciousness, and non-violence. I try my best to foster independence, moderation, exploration, and humility. I aim to accept limitation with love and kindness.

I am grateful to those of you who participate in our programming (and thus keep us going) and also to those of you who resonate and bring these qualities into their fullness wherever you are.