Summertime and new beginnings!

     It has been too long since my last entry. The world has been in upheaval and turmoil. I have also been lost in a tumult of anger. I am coming out of it and looking at how I was swept up in the social media anger and helplessness. It's so easy to feel powerless and think that social media helps to relieve that. It doesn't. Voting helps to relieve the helplessness. I am back to my centered self. With the school year ending it has ushered in a time for deep reflection. Over the course of this pandemic I have lost 11 people that were either part of my life, the periphery of my life, or part of my history. I lost a most beloved cousin, not to COVID-19, that was a deep blow to my heart. It can never be stated enough how members of marginalized communities need allies to help sustain us. My cousin Annmarie was an ally of mine from the beginning of my life. Always making sure I was doing OK and that I felt loved and supported. She may or may not have known how important it was to me to have an ally who always stuck up for me and seemingly pushed the forces around me back. She was 14 years my senior and made sure I felt loved, what more can I ask for? Now, in her passing I look to honor her memory by being an ally to other marginalized people. 

     For the many who ask what will happen with the Studio, I have no idea. These are messy times for gyms and yoga studios. Our opening dates are always pushed back indefinitely. It makes sense. The very function of a heated vinyasa class is to raise your heart rate and respiration rate. Having all that sweat and heavy breathing is definitely not in anyone's best interest. Science is inescapable on this. We will have to wait and assess. No matter what Vicari Yoga LLC will be in existence in some form. I will just have to adapt and assume the most logical course of action from there.

     Remote learning turned out to not be so awful. Many teachers were able to connect to our most introverted students in ways we may never have been able to connect. That was well worth the disturbance in my routine. Of course I worry about the future of choral singing and music education in these times, but again, it is about adapting and not toddlering. We have to use our creativity to assume our best form of education in this new and hopefully temporary model. 

     Re-evaluating my diet has been essential. I have returned to a complete plant-based diet. This time I have taken gluten out of my diet and I have seen a huge shift for the better. I do not have celiac disease nor any other allergy, however, taking gluten out of my diet has proven a great asset to my feeling of health and happiness. I am exercising more than ever, due to my increased time at home. May as well make the best of it instead of feeling stuck and stale. I am back now to keeping up with my blog. The worst of the feelings of being overwhelmed have passed, thankfully.