First Class Free

Warm Welcome

 By Laura Mills

I recently had the pleasure of a vacation. As comfortable as one can be at home, itís rejuvenating to take a break from the day-to-day routine of work, errands, chores, and other obligations. Whether one's vacation involves campfire cooking outside a tent in the midst of a majestic wilderness, or gourmet meals at a restaurant across the street from an exquisite hotel, we plan our vacations according to what we believe will interest and entertain us. No wonder we look forward to them so much!

But I don't think it's the fun or simply the change in routine that rejuvenates us while on vacation. I think itís the fact that vacations place us outside our element.The unfamiliar, no matter how entertaining or interesting, still unsettles us at least a little bit. Our vacations may involve sights we haven't seen before or at least not for a while, languages we don't speak, activities we haven't tried before, and food we've never eaten or perhaps never even heard of. We are no longer experts, no longer able to just go through the motions of day-to-day existence. And suddenly, at least at some level, we then look forward to returning to the opportunities we have at home to go to a familiar workplace, eat food we know we like, and talk to people we love. Suddenly, those opportunities seem just a little more special.

I had a great time on my vacation, for sure. But while I cherish the time I had there, itís REALLY good to be home.

Why Restore?

By Laura Mills

Earlier this week I attended one of TBY's Restorative Yoga classes. I don't often practice Restorative, but this particular day I happened to be at the studio at just the right time. I love how I feel after a Restorative class, and I know I would definitely benefit from more frequent practice of it. But given a choice between Restorative Yoga and a more-quickly-moving Vinyasa flow, I opt for Vinyasa most of the time. As someone who can barely sit still even when tired, the thought of holding any pose longer than a few breaths doesn't thrill me and the thought of practicing supported, long-held poses for an hour or more actually intimidates me quite a bit.

But I suppose this is just where an opportunity for real yoga arises, since Restorative Yoga invites me to nudge myself just outside my well-established comfort zone. It asks me to open a little bit more than usual, both physically and mentally, and to balance my own practice with a style that soothes in an entirely different way. Yoga as whole is, after all, all about openness and balance, and the way I feel after a Restorative class shows me Iím on the right track.

Putting the Party Away

By Laura Mills

So TBYís Grand Re-opening is coming up on Sunday, September 18, and certainly it will be an amazing day that we long remember. But what will happen after that? We all know the expression, ìThe honeymoonís over; we've all experienced the day after our birthday or favorite holiday. And each one of us has at one time or another helped a friend clean up after a celebration, wistfully remarking at some point, Well, that was fun. Now what?î

Happily, the day after let-down shouldn't affect any of us here at TBY (students, staff and teachers) too badly. We share a unique perspective on life, for our practice of yoga includes celebrating every moment of every day. And while, somehow, celebrating every moment seems more difficult than handling difficulties as they arise, we remember that the purpose of yoga isn't to make life easy but rather to teach us appropriate strength and softness so that, when tested, we don't break.

So on the morning of Monday, September 19, be glad for the fun of the day before and more than excited to inhale and exhale, stretch, eventually set your feet on the ground and stand. Regardless of what the day holds for you, itís party time.

Perspective Reflection

By Laura Mills

After this summerís heat, the first 65-degree day felt so good; my sweatshirt seemed like a hug from an old friend, and walking around in it was one of the highlights of my week. As was sleeping with the windows open, huddled under a blanket, snuggling with my cats.

Am I looking forward to fall weather? Yes. For now.

In the midst of rejoicing over the crisper weather I did realize I wasnít celebrating the weather itself, but merely the change. A 65-degree day in June, I know, would irritate me to no end. I would lament summerís delay and wish more than anything for a temperature reading of 90-plus just to kick-start the season. In June, I am always thrilled by that first really warm day, which in fact never fails to inspire me to fold the sweatshirts away.

If nothing else, I believe we should frequently pause to appreciate the changing nature of our perspectives, the extent to which our individual opinions, feelings, and even actions depend on variables like circumstances and timing.

Really makes one stop and think.

A Reminder

  By Laura Mills 

  A sunny morning; your favorite song on the radio; the perfect dress in just the right size; a corner slice of the yummiest birthday cake; your first cartwheel; a glass of lemonade with ice on a hot day; your child’s laugh; a purring kitten snuggled on your lap; the music of rain on your roof; a cozy fireplace on a January night; the hand of your partner, held tight in yours; holiday songs; bed sheets just out of the dryer; the smell of a new car; really juicy peaches; giving someone a present; your favorite team winning the game at the last second; a sip of your favorite wine; a visit with a friend you haven’t seen in many years; newly-bloomed roses; a day off; rainbows; fresh-baked bread; a compliment from your mentor; the first time you lift your feet off the ground in Headstand; cooking a meal for someone you care about; a get-together with friends on a Thursday night, for no reason other than just to catch up….

  We know the list; we’ve seen lists like this before. And we know they go on.

  Life has always been, and will always be, full of amazing moments. At the same time, the majority of us are old enough to clearly remember life before September 11, 2001….

  No matter how many times we’ve seen or heard it before, let’s never take any single moment for granted. Ever. 

To Plan or Not To Plan

  By Laura Mills

  This Labor Day weekend I tested the effects of spontaneity on stress. I usually plan my days in great detail, sometimes an entire week in advance, believing for some unproven reason that planning keeps me organized. My extra-calm husband, Jamie, has long encouraged me to schedule less and flow more; when we discussed this particular weekend’s agenda, he suggested we “just see” what happened.
  I awoke Saturday morning already jittery. My first thought was, “I have to do laundry, and I can’t forget to buy cat litter.” But Jamie suggested the 7:45 yoga class first thing, so we left behind laundry piles and litter boxes and set out. We followed yoga with an on-a-whim breakfast stop, then kayaked on a local lake. Sometime during the day I did throw in laundry and stop at the pet store, but by dinnertime (for which we decided to order pizza and save the intended grilling for Sunday) I hardly remembered a Saturday that I had enjoyed so much. And by the end of the weekend—the rest of which we passed the same way—we had finished the really necessary chores anyway, virtually stress-free.    
  Planning surely has its place, and I’m far from ready to abandon planning and start flowing freely every day. But this weekend I reminded myself that shuffling my to-do list need not be an obstacle. On the contrary, occasional spontaneity, moments when I agree to “just see” what happens, might wind up the best moments of any given day, the moments really worth remembering.

Cherish This

  By Laura Mills

  Right now I am sitting at my kitchen table in front of my computer, having just finished my cereal, drinking coffee, listening to classical music. The patio door is open and I’m looking into my yard, and I’m hearing the chirps of crickets and birds. Of course, not every moment of my life is this easily sweet; just this morning before breakfast I dusted the living room, swept the kitchen, and fed and cleaned up after my cats. Soon enough, I’ll head back upstairs to get ready for work. But right now, in this moment, I am exactly where I want to be.
  We all experience snippets of life like this in which the immediate circumstances just seem right. We are content to breathe and feel and be without immediately moving on to something else. We think, “Ah, so THIS is happiness.” Our challenge, I believe, as I discuss so often with other yogis, is to nurture the contentment of these moments and apply it to the times when life isn’t so accommodating. Our yoga practices help; with yoga, we encourage our bodies, minds and spirits towards lasting and perfectly balanced peace.
  But in the meantime, we relish the peace that comes easily. We sigh, take a deep breath, and give thanks.