begin again
Dear Friends,
My last heartfelt message to you was in May of 2020. Much like you and the rest of our world at that time, my life was a swirl of chaos as the unknowns of the pandemic unfolded around us.
As a trained facilitator, the concept of ‘strong openings and strong closings,’ is deeply ingrained into my being. The concept isn’t just for meetings, workshops, retreats, etc, it’s a concept we can apply to the ever-changing nature of our lives to foster greater meaning and purpose. When something has a clear beginning and a clear ending, you can better reflect on that chapter to gain valuable insights, make necessary amends, examine ineffective habits, end relationships needing to be pruned, integrate new awareness, and, perhaps most importantly, feel a sense of hope or clarity (or at least closure) as you move forward into a new chapter.
The worldwide shock to the nervous system we all survived had a strong opening (March 2020), but to the best of my understanding, has had no strong ending. There was no buzzer to call the game. No closing speech. No celebration of where we came together and demonstrated the best within us, no recognition of where we culturally failed, and no social integration of lessons learned so we could get stronger as a people or as a culture. The experience faded into the background for different people at different times in different places. Some have moved on entirely, some are rebuilding in the aftermath, and some are still actively navigating the virus itself and its impact on their bodies and lives. Without a formal closing of this chapter in any significant cultural way, we’re left to design our own individual closings for ourselves, our families, and the communities we serve.
The last three years brought foundational changes into my life. Primarily moving to the city of Olympia after 14 proud years as a Seattle resident. I put my yoga teaching on a two-year pause, moved in with a partner for the first time, and became a (reluctant) stepmom to two cats. As I begin a new chapter in Olympia and prepare to start teaching yoga again, I realize the strong closing I need and didn’t get was to say ‘goodbye and thank you,’ to the Seattle community that gave me life for over a decade. Life-long friendships were formed and the 8 years I spent immersed in the Seattle yoga community were profoundly healing and supportive. Not being able to say goodbye and express deep gratitude to the teachers, studios, and students who shared so much of their hearts with me over the years is a sadness I feel myself carrying as I try to begin again in this new chapter of my life. I’m not quite sure how to acknowledge and integrate this sadness, but over the coming weeks, I am determined to carve a path forward that helps my heart feel complete with the chapter that disappeared from my life so suddenly.
I hope you take the time to reflect on the last few years and close the chapter in a way that feels meaningful to you. Create a ritual, burn something, have the needed conversation, make some art…give yourself what you need to shift your life from what was, to what is, so you can live your life facing fully forward.
I now live close to the woods and close to my family. I have deer in my backyard and get to take my 13-year-old niece to weekly boxing classes. I start teaching at the charming Firefly Yoga next week and look forward to rebuilding a yoga community here in our beautiful state's capital.
If you live in the Lackey/Tumwater/Olympia area, drop in for a class, I’d love to see you
If you want to join virtually for a class, I’d love that too
If you’re no longer interested in following my new chapter, which will be a combination of yoga, health and wellness coaching, and personal training, please unsubscribe and free yourself of this extra noise
If you’d like to stick around for this new chapter, I’m so glad to have you. I will try, as always, to ensure anything I share is heartfelt, reflective, and somehow adds value
Thank you for the role you played in my last chapter. I have so much love and gratitude in my heart for what was. Looking forward to what’s next as I begin again.
Love, Maria