Headstand

I can remember taking class as a new teacher & watching a seasoned yogi come gracefully & effortlessly into a basket headstand, without ever bending her legs - they just floated up off the floor.  And I remember thinking "I want to do that".

I can also remember, around that same time, standing in the lobby of the studio where I had just started teaching, talking to a seasoned teacher about wanting my own studio one day.  I had just started teaching already I knew it was what I wanted.  This was over 10 years ago.

Since I started practicing yoga, I have always maintained my practice.  Sometimes practicing as much as 90 minutes a day, 6 days a week.  Sometimes as little as 30 minutes a day 2 days a week.  But always, maintaining my practice.

In the last 10 years, I have had several jobs, taught at several different yoga studios & managed a couple.  Throughout it all, I maintained that I wanted & would have my own studio.

So many times I tried that headstand & just couldn't "do" it.  I thought "well, I need to give my body some time".

In the past few years, I've had a couple of opportunities to open yoga studios present themselves to me - but each time it wasn't quite right & I couldn't make it work.  And each time that happened, even though I was a little disappointed, I always thought "well, it's just not the time yet".

Everywhere I went - I took my yoga mat with me.  I once forgot it in the airport & bought another one when I arrived at my destination, even though I already had 3 mats back at home.

Everywhere I went - from Vermont to Florida - I found vacant spaces that I thought would be great for a yoga studio.

I have never given up my belief in the benefits of this practice.  Even when I couldn't "do" much of the practice.  I stayed patient & practiced what I could.

And even when it seemed impossible that I would have my own studio, I never gave up the belief that it would happen. It was ok - I stayed patient & thought about how it would feel when it did happen. 

And one day, when I wasn't thinking about, I mastered that basket headstand.  My legs just floated up off the floor. 

And then, when I least expected it, there was my yoga studio (http://www.sanctuarypoweryoga.com/).   Everything I imagined & more.

You can now find my blog at the Register Citizen: http:http://www.registercitizen.com/blogs/life/