The sweet and the bitter.
October, you certainly kept me on my toes.
After seven months of planning, we were met with circumstances beyond our control that meant cancelling Ben Kalra's long awaited visit this past weekend. I'm not going to pretend it wasn't defeating. It was. A lot of effort, energy, excitement and heart went into making it happen.
I've been thinking about sukha and dukha, the sweetness and the suffering that inevitably come with being human. How we can hold both at once. The disappointment of losing something we'd worked so hard towards, and the unexpected gift of a friendship that came from it.
A lesson in non-attachment perhaps. Not to care less, but to loosen our grip on how we think things are supposed to unfold.
And so, we keep going.
One of the sweetest parts of October was witnessing the collective energy of our 30 day challenge. So many of you showing up, day after day, making time for yourselves and for one another. There was something really special about the energy in the studio this month. The familiar faces, the new ones, the little conversations before and after class. A reminder that the practice extends well beyond our mats.
I found myself practicing more than I have in a long time too, and somewhere along the way, rediscovered a little of what made me fall in love with yoga in the first place. Being a student again, getting curious, and simply showing up.
And it's made me really excited to teach again.
I'll be returning to the schedule a few times a week this November, something I haven't done consistently since August. There are so many new faces around the studio and I'm looking forward to getting to know you, and reconnecting with those of you I've missed.
At the end of the month I'll be heading to India for the eighth time, but only the third time my whole family will be there together. Financially, perhaps not the wisest time to be travelling, but as we all get a little older, these opportunities become more precious. Some experiences are worth more than what they cost.
I suppose that's what I'm carrying into November. A little less attachment to how things should go, and a little more appreciation for what's right in front of me.
Here's to making room for all of it. The sweet, the bitter, and everything in between.
With love,
Sheena