Dimension and Color

Yesterday I was having a conversation, via technology, with a new friend and it dawned on me how many dimensions of myself I have forgotten. We get so busy and so wrapped up in our routines, schedules, and hustle and bustle that we forget the many layers that make us a complete person. We are drawn to certain activities for a reason. Yoga has a pacifying effect on me. I am drawn to the way it slows me down and brings me to a place to remember my dimensions. We spend so much time trying to maintain our pace of life that we forget why we are trying to maintain this pace of life. This time teaching remotely has brought a lot of things to the surface for me. I do not enjoy the silence and distance from other people. I enjoy conversation and interaction more than I thought I did. Yes being a teacher can get over stimulating and overwhelming, but this is a complete shift. I miss the students, I miss the questions. I miss being connected. Without this dramatic and sudden pause on activity I wouldn't have had this realization. I wouldn't have felt the lack in this dimension of my life. This space and distance from other people is also helping me to appreciate the various colors that other people bring into my day. When we come into contact with other people their very essence/energy mixes with ours and causes a new essence or "color" to emerge. Just like yellow and red make orange, my energy plus your energy makes a new combination. We are all in control of how we respond to a new essence or energy. We can ensure that it is always a positive and constructive combination. It definitely takes work. Yoga helps us show up exactly as who we want to be with our families and community. Yoga reminds us that we can control the colors we try to blend into our families and communities. Without the dimension of knowing ourselves well, how can we ever make sure our energy blends well with others. These are trying times for sure, but can we rely on what we have learned in our classes to help guide us be more mindful painters on the palette of our day? I struggle and need reminders, but it is possible. As with so many things in our lives, it is all in the breath. This beautiful picture I took at the NY Botanical Gardens in the tunnel beneath the Conservatory.