This summer on my son’s recommendation I settled into reading the famous Tolstoy novel, “War and Peace.” What does this have to do with yoga? Well, yoga is all about life and Tolstoy knew and brilliantly illustrated the sometimes wild swings of life in this epic story. It was a joy to read and at the end I found myself feeling hopeful for the future as we manage these present challenges.
I am continuously brought back to page 1275 in the book, where Pierre, speaking to Natasha, says, “We imagine that as soon as we are torn out of our habitual path, all is over, but it is only the beginning of something new and good. As long as there is life, there is happiness. There is a great deal, a great deal before us.”
So now, here we are adjusting to doing things differently – much differently: fewer students in the studio at one time means more space per person in class, adding new on-line classes gives us more options to continue. Dealing with this new reality, new tools – and helping students do the same – all this has been the beginning of something new for me.
After struggling to deal with the technological learning curve of both taking classes on-line and delivering them, I now am settling into this and agree with Tolstoy’s Pierre, that “there is a great deal before us.” Just as we know from our yoga practice that holding our breath is not productive, holding on to ideas of the past carries problems as well.
If we can be with what is here right now, embrace it and take action, we can feel good about our ability to pivot and deal with reality – which is all that life and yoga asks of us.
