Back to Reality

So I have been busy lately, and now it is time to get back to reality.
I continue to be asked to teach more Yoga classes, and my days are filling up with work. I think that is a good thing. I have been doing flowers for weddings with the Flower lady. I have also been dealing some poker at parties in the evenings...My person Yoga practice is steady, and I rely on my Morning Mysore practice on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays to keep me grounded.

I finished cleaning my back room, now Yoga/Meditation room. I still need to tear up the carpeting, and put down hardwood flooring. I also need some posters and decortions. Last week, we started teaching a family yoga class. We had 6 people the first class. That is about what I expected. I am sure that it will grow.

At a childrens birthday party last week there was a woman who was doing henna tattoos. I had an OM symbol put on my left arm. What do you think? I may consider making it permanant. It is funny that I went through 4 years in the Marine Corp., and 10 years studying Martial Arts, and never got a Tattoo. Now that I am doing Yoga, I am considering it. Never underestimate the life transforming power of Yoga.


Being a Renaissance Man, I have also been doing some floral design work for my friend the Flower Lady. I really enjoy working with her. She is very wise and spiritual, and we get along wonderfully. She is easy to talk to, and we chat for hours at a time about very deep and personal topics. She gave me a signed copy of her second book. I am enjoing it so far.We arranged three beautiful weddings together last weekend. We have quite a few more weddings coming up in the next few weeks. I am looking forward to it...




Mysore practice has helped keep me grounded through all my teaching. It is my refuge. It is a comfortable place where familiar faces greet me while at the same time ignoring me while immersed in their own practice. Returning Guy, The British Director, Donutszenmom, and Sanskrit Scholar have been the most regular regulars lately. I appreciate the focus of Donutszenmom. She is truly a creature of habit. She arrives at approx. the same time every morning, heads for one of the ends of the rows, and settles into her practice. She is focussed and quiet, and moves quickly and efficiently through her practice. She is not comfortable with adjusting others, but is appreciative of recieving a well timed adjustment. I appreciate the calming energy that she brings to Mysore practice. NY girl has been there and very helpful lately as well. She has given me some wonderful advice and adjustments on the days that I do first series. There are new faces here and there. San Fran Gal comes with her boyfriend on occasion, and there is a new girl, I will call her Early Riser, because she is always there already practicing along with Returning Guy when we arrive at the Shala at 5:30am. Early Riser is a Vatta. She is long and lean and flexible, and while she does not yet have first series memorized, moves in and out of the poses with grace and ease.
My oldest daughter continues to improve her practice, and while I notice the small adjustments that she still needs to make in her practice, there is plenty of time for her to make them. Ah to have started Yoga at 9 years old and now be 12yo. How wonderful.....

Life is good, but my daily practice of meditation has been disrupted by my new Yoga teaching schedule. I am sure that it will balance out soon as I settle in.

October is the birthday month of the two Jennifers in my life. BJ Jens birthday was the 11th. It is not what you think. BJ stands for Blackjack because we met dealing Blackjack together at a Casino. She is all of 27 years old, and I think soon to be divorced. Lunch with her next week... The Other Jen is my NJ Jen. Her birhtday is the 21st. We don't talk much anymore, but she is and will always be special to me. I always send positive energy her way and hope that she is well. She will be 34 this year.

As I was cleaning my now Yoga room, I came across a box from the flower shop we used to own. It had all the quotes that I used to have posted on my cooler as motivation. That was back in the days of super positive thinking, and motivation for our employees.. I will try to post one with each Blog Entry.
here is the first:

"Life affords no higher pleasure than that of surmounting difficulties, passing from one step of success to another, forming new wishes and seeing them gratified..."
Samuel Johnson