Hello friends, and welcome to this month’s Joyinmovement
newsletter!
newsletter!
As we close in on the first half of 2007, I realized
there has been an important lesson I’ve learned that I’d like to share
with you. It revolves around the Quaker idea to “proceed as the way opens.”
So, if you’ll indulge me for a few minutes, I think my lessons and
introspections can help us all live a healthier and more balanced life.
there has been an important lesson I’ve learned that I’d like to share
with you. It revolves around the Quaker idea to “proceed as the way opens.”
So, if you’ll indulge me for a few minutes, I think my lessons and
introspections can help us all live a healthier and more balanced life.
Maybe you’ve heard of the book Who Moved My Cheese?
It’s about adjusting to change. Sometimes you move your own cheese and
sometimes someone else moves your cheese. A major hunk of my cheese was
moved for me just before the start of 2007. Let me explain……..
It’s about adjusting to change. Sometimes you move your own cheese and
sometimes someone else moves your cheese. A major hunk of my cheese was
moved for me just before the start of 2007. Let me explain……..
I had been using the same on-line sports performance
coach for 4+ years. Those of you who have ever worked with a coach,
teacher or mentor know that it is a close relationship built on trust.
Upon hearing that I was studying a certain style of yoga, Shadow Yoga,
and would be pursuing an advanced teacher training program, he gave me a
choice—drop my Shadow Yoga studies or he wouldn’t train me anymore.
YIKES………..
coach for 4+ years. Those of you who have ever worked with a coach,
teacher or mentor know that it is a close relationship built on trust.
Upon hearing that I was studying a certain style of yoga, Shadow Yoga,
and would be pursuing an advanced teacher training program, he gave me a
choice—drop my Shadow Yoga studies or he wouldn’t train me anymore.
YIKES………..
Two points of interest here. The first is that the main
reason I chose my coach years ago was that he is also a yoga teacher.
So as you can imagine his declaration was quite shocking. Secondly,
every year or so I choose an area of interest relating to my own
Joyinmovement that needs deepening, strengthening or improving. You
might recall last year I chose swimming and got my stroke techniques
grooved in as well as my lifeguarding certification. This year I chose
yoga.
reason I chose my coach years ago was that he is also a yoga teacher.
So as you can imagine his declaration was quite shocking. Secondly,
every year or so I choose an area of interest relating to my own
Joyinmovement that needs deepening, strengthening or improving. You
might recall last year I chose swimming and got my stroke techniques
grooved in as well as my lifeguarding certification. This year I chose
yoga.
I had been looking for a yoga teacher locally for about 5
years. Yoga is not something that can be learned on-line. You need a
teacher who can guide you capably and intelligently watching you in
person as you move through your practice. When I found my current
teacher, Mark Horner (www.horneryoga.com) and took my first few Shadow
Yoga classes I knew I was home. I proceeded as the way had opened!
Mark’s studio is at best an hour’s drive for me and my commitment to
study Shadow Yoga with him required that I be at his studio many hours
each week, as well as change my own schedule and work hours to fit in
the training. When my performance coach gave me his choices—his way or
the highway—I chose the highway and have had absolutely no regrets. I
am 9 months into my Shadow Yoga training, with 7 more to go, and it is
one of the most challenging things I have ever done. It ranks right up
there with standing up on a surfboard!
years. Yoga is not something that can be learned on-line. You need a
teacher who can guide you capably and intelligently watching you in
person as you move through your practice. When I found my current
teacher, Mark Horner (www.horneryoga.com) and took my first few Shadow
Yoga classes I knew I was home. I proceeded as the way had opened!
Mark’s studio is at best an hour’s drive for me and my commitment to
study Shadow Yoga with him required that I be at his studio many hours
each week, as well as change my own schedule and work hours to fit in
the training. When my performance coach gave me his choices—his way or
the highway—I chose the highway and have had absolutely no regrets. I
am 9 months into my Shadow Yoga training, with 7 more to go, and it is
one of the most challenging things I have ever done. It ranks right up
there with standing up on a surfboard!
One lesson I learned using “proceed as the way opens” as
my guide is that following my heart and pursuing my Shadow Yoga path has
lead me to be a better person, to know myself more deeply and to better
help many others through my teaching and coaching. How can this NOT be
appropriate? Whatever path I choose, as long as it is in line with what
is true for me, will lead me to where I need to be.
my guide is that following my heart and pursuing my Shadow Yoga path has
lead me to be a better person, to know myself more deeply and to better
help many others through my teaching and coaching. How can this NOT be
appropriate? Whatever path I choose, as long as it is in line with what
is true for me, will lead me to where I need to be.
There is a reason I called my website Joyinmovement.com
and not “better-run-marathons.com”
or “you-aint-biking-you-aint-living.com” or “yoga-rocks.com“……..we
are all different and different ways of moving serve us, give us energy
or deplete our energy, make us feel better or not. No one can make that
decision for us.
and not “better-run-marathons.com”
or “you-aint-biking-you-aint-living.com” or “yoga-rocks.com“……..we
are all different and different ways of moving serve us, give us energy
or deplete our energy, make us feel better or not. No one can make that
decision for us.
Another lesson I was reminded of is that when one door
closes, others open. Since ending my training with my former coach, so
many professional and personal doors have opened that would not have
opened before, so I am “proceeding as the way opens.” I am able to say
this because in being set free from my studies with him I took the time
to reassess what roads I wanted to travel down next. I am moving in
those directions. I’ll be writing more about Shadow Yoga and the other
areas of study that I am involved with in future newsletters, so stay
tuned.
closes, others open. Since ending my training with my former coach, so
many professional and personal doors have opened that would not have
opened before, so I am “proceeding as the way opens.” I am able to say
this because in being set free from my studies with him I took the time
to reassess what roads I wanted to travel down next. I am moving in
those directions. I’ll be writing more about Shadow Yoga and the other
areas of study that I am involved with in future newsletters, so stay
tuned.
I have often spoken about letting go of that which does
not serve us in our journey to become healthier and live a life filled
with joy and contentment. Are there hunks of cheese you are thinking
about moving? Has someone moved your cheese and you are resisting or in
denial? Join me in celebrating life and the doors that close and the
ones that open……….notice in your own life when the way opens and
PROCEED! Nothing happens until something moves…………
not serve us in our journey to become healthier and live a life filled
with joy and contentment. Are there hunks of cheese you are thinking
about moving? Has someone moved your cheese and you are resisting or in
denial? Join me in celebrating life and the doors that close and the
ones that open……….notice in your own life when the way opens and
PROCEED! Nothing happens until something moves…………
Have a healthy and wonder-full month, and as always keep
that joyinmovement energy flowing!
that joyinmovement energy flowing!
Shelli
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