How many times do you have a perfect vision in your mind as to how you would like things to turn out only to find the universe has conspired to see things otherwise? Teachers, how many times have you planned a beautiful sequence only to walk in and find the energy of the room is such that folks look like all they want to do is settle in for a snooze in savasana?
I think this is precisely what Camela Christopher was greeted with on Tuesday morning. It was the day after Independence Day. Everyone was feeling tired after listening to the cracks and booms that echoed through the city the evening before. Everyone was feeling heavy and lethargic from a weekend of too much of a good thing rolling off the barbecue. Camela, upon sensing this dip in energy, rolled with it. The result? A wonderfully replenishing practice.
I think this is precisely what Camela Christopher was greeted with on Tuesday morning. It was the day after Independence Day. Everyone was feeling tired after listening to the cracks and booms that echoed through the city the evening before. Everyone was feeling heavy and lethargic from a weekend of too much of a good thing rolling off the barbecue. Camela, upon sensing this dip in energy, rolled with it. The result? A wonderfully replenishing practice.
Yes, replenishing. Not, restorative, as Camela (pronounced CAM-ul-ah, like Pamela with a C) made it a point of explaining at the beginning of practice. As I see it, when we feel depleted, we have a few choices -- 1) retreat, just lay on the floor and play dead, 2) muscle through, just do whatever it was that we'd set out to do in the first place, or 3) be sensitive. The first two options leave us feeling as tired, if not more so, than when we began. And often times, muscling through fatigue can lead to something far worse than more fatigue -- injury.
The question is -- can we become sensitive to the energy that surrounds us? Can we use our bodies and breath to replenish? This is precisely what Camela was teaching us to do through her sequence. It was the perfect balancing of breath, movement and asana that would leave us feeling invigorated. The standing poses brought energy in, the balancing poses brought a sense of coolness to that energy and the backbends were done on our bellies to maintain that coolness in the face of greater opening. I really got the sense Camela had a fantastic grasp on how to really use her practice to enhance and uplift. This is what makes her a great teacher.
The vinyasa moved slowly and with such intention that I felt able to find the alignment needed to clear tightness and create greater space for my energy to expand. It may not have been what Camela planned to teach when she woke up this morning, but it was precisely what my mind and body needed in that moment. And I sensed from all the relieved faces at the end of class, it was precisely what everyone else needed, too. To be able to 'roll with it' in this way, really exhibits a great deal of fortitude. It's not an exercise of letting go, but surrendering to the gifts Grace will bestow when you soften enough to receive them. The path that encourages us to be sensitive and open to Grace is the difficult one. To learn from the intuition and experience of such amazing teachers as Camela is what helps to make it a little easier to forge along.
Forge along with Camela at Moksha Riverwest, Moksha Logan Square or at one of the community classes listed on her website. Have you already joined Camela on the journey? Tell me about it here by following the links below.
The question is -- can we become sensitive to the energy that surrounds us? Can we use our bodies and breath to replenish? This is precisely what Camela was teaching us to do through her sequence. It was the perfect balancing of breath, movement and asana that would leave us feeling invigorated. The standing poses brought energy in, the balancing poses brought a sense of coolness to that energy and the backbends were done on our bellies to maintain that coolness in the face of greater opening. I really got the sense Camela had a fantastic grasp on how to really use her practice to enhance and uplift. This is what makes her a great teacher.
The vinyasa moved slowly and with such intention that I felt able to find the alignment needed to clear tightness and create greater space for my energy to expand. It may not have been what Camela planned to teach when she woke up this morning, but it was precisely what my mind and body needed in that moment. And I sensed from all the relieved faces at the end of class, it was precisely what everyone else needed, too. To be able to 'roll with it' in this way, really exhibits a great deal of fortitude. It's not an exercise of letting go, but surrendering to the gifts Grace will bestow when you soften enough to receive them. The path that encourages us to be sensitive and open to Grace is the difficult one. To learn from the intuition and experience of such amazing teachers as Camela is what helps to make it a little easier to forge along.
Forge along with Camela at Moksha Riverwest, Moksha Logan Square or at one of the community classes listed on her website. Have you already joined Camela on the journey? Tell me about it here by following the links below.
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