Taking Care of You.
Photo: Henry Wynd for SweatNET
Last night, I finally experienced Chakti Yoga with the magical Lauren McAbee. It's funny, because her bio on her website says:
Have you ever met someone whom you instantly loved & had a connection? A person who radiates good energy and leaves a room better than she found it? That person is Lauren McAbee.
And I wholeheartedly agree: Lauren is definitely that person.
If you live in Charlotte and haven't heard of Chakti Yoga, you need to get out more. If you don't live in the Queen City, you should follow her on Instagram. She is a fierce goddess who is also bubbly and hilarious and I can't get enough of her.
Her class was sweaty and high-energy with the dirtiest hip-hop songs playing so loud the floor was vibrating. If you've taken my yoga teacher trainings, you know I love a good dance party, so I was all in.
When I made my way into savasana, it occurred to me I hadn't taken a yoga class in awhile. Lately, I've mostly been practicing at home, for several reasons. When I teach 2-3 classes a day, I'm usually ready to head home after, or I have to go let my dog out. The busier I am, the easier it is to roll out my mat at home. And if you know me on a personal level, you know I struggle with hot yoga (I'm definitely the sweatiest girl I know, so in hot classes, I sweat so much it's hard to replenish my body after). And let me tell ya, they like it hot here in Charlotte.
As I'm typing this, I'm laughing to myself because I just listed all of my excuses for you. I guess writing them down made me feel better about myself. Ha!
Anyway, that's the point of this post. I've been busy and I've gotten into the routine of practicing on my own, so I didn't even realize how much I needed someone to hold space for me until I laid down in savasana last night.
Lauren sprayed some magical essential oil concoction over me and told us how much we have to be grateful for in the moment. She told us how much we're loved and supported and even though I remind people of this all the time, it was meaningful to hear the words for myself.
I do my best to offer support to everyone I cross paths with every single day. I'm realizing more and more that in order to be a powerful presence on this earth, especially as a teacher and healer, it's essential to make time to be a student and allow myself be supported. I'm sure many of you can relate to this, but it's easier for me to take care of other people than it is to take care of myself.
I haven't had a good cry in savasana in a long time. Last night, out of nowhere, when I rolled onto my side, tears started to flow. I felt so overwhelmed with love, gratitude and support from the cool earth underneath my palm and Lauren's powerful presence, I knew I could just let go.
The more love you give, the more you need to receive. We can't do it all on our own - even though some of us may try. Allow yourself to be supported. Give yourself permission to drop whatever important task it is you're working on and do something for you. Take a yoga class. Get a massage or a pedicure. Take a nap. Sign up for that training you've been wanting to do. Share your struggles with someone who loves you over a glass of wine. The weight of the world is heavy and it's not all yours to carry.
Enjoy the weekend, my friends.
Take care of you.
XX,
Jaimis
Photo: Henry Wynd for SweatNET