This Thing and That – Oct Newsletter
When people learn that I am a yoga teacher they tend to conjure up ideas about my personality. For example, here are three things sometimes assumed about me based on my profession:
1) I am calm all the time
2) I cook, usually from scratch, with organic, wholesome ingredients
3) I enjoy nature, the outdoors and hiking
I have seen more than a few surprised faces when I reveal that none of those traits describe me. Calm ALL the time? No. Though, this one does suit me better than the others. If you don’t count my gut churning tendency towards worry then yes, I am quite calm. More to the point, I am able to be calm for those who need it, which is one of the great rewards of my work.
But I do not cook. It is understandable that this surprises people given my LOVE of food and fabulous meals. Foodie=me. I honor the artistry of chefs everywhere and feel no need to try my hand at it, contented to be the grateful audience to their culinary show! Organic, wholesome food? Delicious! I prefer it, of course. And when other people assemble it for me, I like it even better. It is not so much that I can’t cook, it is just that I don’t. It is simply not my thing.
Another thing that is not “my thing” is the great outdoors. My parents would often take my sister and I hiking and camping when we were kids. The nice part of those memories is the time we spent as a family, sitting by the campfire, playing cards, watching the stars. But in between those moments I was rather miserable. Dragging my body up hiking trails in tears, with my heart pounding wondering why in the World they thought this was fun. I’d get eaten by bugs, have to pee in bushes and be covered in dust from head to toe. Ick. Not to mention going back down the trail with the ever present risk of slipping on loose dirt and falling smack on my behind. Let’s just say that I did not take to it. I totally admire the beauty and glory of nature! I just don’t want to climb it, sleep on it or be out in it for long periods of time without my (organic) bug spray!
To this day I am a million times more comfortable with concrete, tall buildings and lots of people around. I breathe better in a big city, I find the air refreshing. That may seem odd but, hey, what can I tell you? City life is my thing!
We all have our thing. You may love to hike and cook and that is fantastic. You have my complete admiration. I don’t have to share your passion to appreciate it as a precious piece of who you are.
In yoga, we bow to each other and say Namaste. This is a Sanskrit term that translates poetically to “the light in me honors the light in you.” Our inclinations and passions illuminate us! They need not be the same for us to honor them in one another. It takes all kinds. Diversity is a blessing. By all means, do your thing!
2 Responses to “This Thing and That – Oct Newsletter”
Namaste !
Namaste Elizabeth!
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