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Yoga, Yarn and You : welcome!

Updated: Jul 26, 2024


So, what's the story?

If you're here, you're probably wondering how it's all related: yoga, yarn and, of course, you. I'll assume that you've gathered that I am in fact a yoga teacher, and I'm very passionate about what I get to do. But Yoga Teacher is just one of the hats I wear, as they say. I'm also what the young creative crowds call a "Maker" (thank you). I'm a Foster Pawrent, in honor of my first and dearest love Sweetie B. Bear. I'm a tiny business owner, humble Trader Joe's crew member and small town adventurer.



All of these have one common theme, in that they all ultimately fuel the vision of the Retreat & Rescue. And if you're wondering what that is (I hope you are) or how that could possibly tie in (it can), stick around a moment. Because while it may seem like the opportunities we're presented in life are too dissimilar to possibly be related, something I've come to understand through mindful consideration and, yes, practice, is that those opportunities are very rarely unrelated at all. The events that unfold in our lives, even the painful ones, all have the potential to guide us toward or away from our "true nature" for lack of a more perfect term. I am in no way encouraging anyone to stay in a painful situation or giving power to trauma. But I am saying there absolutely is power in being able to look back at all you have overcome to be right here, exactly as you are, with neither attachment nor charge.


...we're all simply looking...

It is hard not to pass judgment on ourselves or our actions, or that of our peers. And it takes skill to transform those judgments into something of value. But the reward of taking that hard route is a gentle place where a restless mind can begin to settle. The reason, dear friend, so many of us flit from one thing to the next, one unfulfilling job to the next, one unsatisfying relationship to the next, one unrealistic thought to the next... is that we're all simply looking for a place of peaceful rest. Happiness is only synonymous with contentment when we shake off the perimeters of expectations.


Some of us confuse the looking with the adventure and the journey with the happiness. I agree, there are certainly the veneers of both. But oh! - the real thrill comes after you know what stillness is. After you've given yourself permission to meet yourself, whole - in all your parts. The fullness of allowing yourself joy in this moment and not some ethereal moment of the future. Why wait until you have a good enough car or house, or a better job? Why wait until the conditions are "just right" or until you are "good enough" to have joy? - to express creativity and passion? - to be kind and grateful? - to experience the fullness of laughter and the depth of sorrow? When you're more than perfect just as you are. If the fear of failure is the only thing holding us back, my dear fellow tender heart: know that it is the courage of conviction of who we want to be that changes the color scheme of everything - completely.


It's perfectly and wonderfully human to guess

I didn't always sound so sure and I certainly wasn't always so brave. I took a lot of detours along the way toward today. It's an overused analogy, I agree. But oof, it really couldn't be a better one. And I bet if you're still reading you can probably relate a lot with that. Or maybe you're one of the lucky few who have always known without a shred of doubt that they were born to be doing what they're doing now. I wouldn't know it as a fact, but I don't think even the Dalai Lama has that level of self-assurance. I think it's perfectly and wonderfully human to guess at one's true nature, and feel like we're stabbing in the dark sometimes. Life is no real help either, always changing things around. Things end so new things can begin, so adaptability is surely the key. We can adapt who we are instead of abandoning ourselves or the ones in our care, the ones we love and hold close in our hearts and yes - that does include ourselves - and actively evolve by learning. It's only obvious now that I've been planning this trajectory for years. It took the hard work of being able to look back at all those detours without laughing hysterically or falling into deep despair.


Step for step

The thing is: I wasn't walking alone, I'm not some solo pioneering explorer by any means. While some of those roads were incredibly dark and twisted, and while I barely noticed others until they had passed (sometimes asking myself, "Wtf was that?"), Sweetie walked right next to me. Step for step, she never left my side - not until she had to. For 16.5 years, she saw me through some of the absolute best and hideously worst of the story thus far. She helped me want to be a better human, and the wanting is so important because otherwise apathy about who we want to be is all the matters. And so we discovered my passion for yoga together.




And now, yoga is woven so intricately into everything I do that it acts as the Myofascial system of my life. It's the network that makes movement art, and art into life. One blockage in the system can affect an other, but one releasing moment can create a cascade of achievement. I love what I get to do, and I happen to be pretty good at it. I'm not tooting my own horn (very loudly), teaching is a lot more than simply showing up to a studio and practicing. It takes a significant amount of energy and endless personal practice to be successful. It means letting go of long held habits and rituals. It requires good judgment as much as good faith, and a specific mix of crazy and compassionate. Yoga isn't just something we do with our bodies, and it isn't reserved for the studio room we practice in. It isn't the perfect Instagram reel or the exact right thing to say at the right time. It isn't something I teach only when I get paid to and I promise it's not a singularly stuffy practice done by stuffy people. Yoga is alive! It's an invitation to grow as much as it is thrive within your own Flow of life.


What does living in the yoga mean?

What does it mean, to live in the yoga? That is deeply personal and there's no one right way to practice or find your Flow. That's the wonderful thing about all the different flavors we get to try in life. There's actually no secret competition between schools of thought and there are no real races between religious teams; we get to try everything, if we want to. We get to choose what speaks to us, allow everything else to pass, and build the foundation of our character with the stories that have the most wisdom. Such wisdoms come from experiences we share with those we cherish most, and there are no rules or boundaries on what shapes that love can take.


I know the theory of it all sounds so much easier than the practice. It isn't like it's a straightforward path or effortless to accomplish; it can take time and sometimes profound heartache to be honest about who you are, who you want to become and have the courage to close the gap between them. But consider the question:


Do you know what your true nature is?

And if you're thinking that's some kind of trick question, I assure you it is not. If you were quick to begin thinking in absolutes, I encourage you to look a little deeper - and maybe also a little slower. And if you're all ready at the finish line, you all ready know what that true nature is, I encourage you to inquire further: did you get there alone?


It was my dog's belief in me that made me believe in myself. Any real pawrent can probably say they've shared that level of soul-bonding with their heart's companion. Without that depth of connection, I imagine it might be easy to forget that our companion animals quite literally live for us. It's probably just as easy to dismiss their individuality, or label their gifts with seeming incoherence. Their value isn't in how many wrinkles they have, or how many ducks they hunt. It isn't in how many fights they win or puppies they produce. Sweetie gave me her whole world, and if I could share just even one more day of it I would. That is the most invaluable treasure...


But the hard reality is that Sweetie passed. In that passing, the most difficult goodbye I have ever expressed in all my life, she gave me her final gift:


an open and deeply wounded heart that she has inspired me to heal again, and again, and again.


I'm a yoga teacher, yes - 100%. I'm a maker, true - through and through. But what is their meaning and what is their value without giving them a purpose? The answer to that, dear friend, is right here on this very page with you. By stopping by for a visit, to purchase one of my handmade products or to do some yoga with me you're supporting that ultimate goal of the Retreat & Rescue. To get there we have to do a little work, but I assure you it'll go a long, long way.


Sweetie's: doing what I love, what I'm good at and what I want to contribute

Right now, that work is focused on Sweetie's, a pet advertising, visitation and application system disguised as an ice cream vending bicycle cart. Sound crazy? It absolutely is! It's crazy how fun, effective and worthwhile our endeavors become when we do them with all our heart. When we surprise our community with compassion, and engage through empathy. And if there's something Sweetie loved more than treats and bike rides, it was friends. So I hope you'll come for the ice cream and stay for the dogs (and maybe make one a beloved family member).


Connect the dots in your life: How can what you love to do, what you're really good at and what you want to contribute to society all be related? When I was asked, for how simple a question it appeared to be on the surface, it was like I was struck with lightening. For the first time that I can recall I had that sensation of knowing what I was meant for, and it's evident that the Retreat & Rescue gives me a service to accomplish that is so much larger than just myself. A place of whole wellness and of kindred spirits, rooted deeply in love and woven into the fabric of its community.


If you're interested in becoming a part of that community and helping it grow, consider lending your support to our Kickstarter by going here:

There, you can learn more about Sweetie's and it's goal. You can also show your support by signing up for updates by clicking this:

Don't worry, no daily junk mail - just an occasional hello sharing the latest yoga flow, in stock products for purchase (they're coming soon, I promise!) and, of course, the freshest furry foster face in my home. You'll also be able to see those faces here, in the next few chapters together where I'll keep you updated on Sweetie's, the Retreat & Rescue and sometimes also explore the grit, the joys and the lessons of being an imperfect human.


Thanks for sharing your time with me, dear tender hearted friend. Until we meet again, Namaste.




If you enjoyed this and want to share an important chapter in your story, a picture of your dog, or want to ask a question about yoga, Trader Joe's or anything in between, reach out! With your permission, I'd love to share what you have to say.

Next:

Who's this? Sally the Kitty!




Stay Tuned For:

How What You Love, What You Want To Be Doing and What You Want To Contribute To the World Are All Related

Sweetie's, the Retreat & Rescue and How You Can Help

Finding Your Flow: Yoga and Creativity


Don't forget to check out the shop! Thanks for your support!






P.S. I do not and never will use animals to make money in any way. I do make a living from teaching, crafting and working an honest, steady job at Trader Joe's. Someday soon, I'll also be able to cover to cost of fostering by opening Sweetie's. Check it out to learn more!

 
 
 

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