Reflections: The Yoga of Relocating to the Mountains

My first thought about relocating to the mountains is, ‘This was so the right choice to make.’ My second thought is of gratitude. I am grateful for the space I have been given by my community to make this transition and the gratitude for my presence along the way. I am grateful to have had this space as the chaos of our society increases. This space that came along with relocating gave me time to dive deep into Svadhyaya, exploring my relationship to practicing, applying and teaching Yoga and Polarity Therapy within the context of our current social dynamic. I have reevaluated my perspective of Dharma and my belief of what it means for me.

As indecisive as I may be on any given day, there are a few things in life that I am completely sure of without doubt such as my divorce, my second marriage, Yoga and Polarity Therapy. What I now know is that Dharma does not end for me at Yoga and Polarity Therapy. These are merely the things, the language and practices that allow me to access my actual Dharma. Once this became clear I took a step back and asked myself, if these are the tools then what is it that I am actually passionate about? What is it beyond Yoga and Polarity Therapy as you have come to practice and teach them? My very next thought was the answer, Sustainability and Social Justice (which is a crucial part of sustainability).

The next question was, how do I use sustainability as my foundation to all aspects of life and then how can I practice and teach Yoga and Polarity Therapy in a way that always supports this piece. And thus unfolds the rest of my days.

I recognize that this is a privilege I have within our society, to dedicate my life and community efforts to a sustainable way of living and being in this world. I am privileged to carry minimal trauma and to receive access to incredibly helpful resources time and time again. Due to the calm that this kind of privilege affords me I can recognize my gifts and feel hope, optimism and excitement about how they will continue to manifest.

I will continue to use Yoga and Polarity Therapy as my avenue to understanding this world and my place in it. And I will continue to share what I learn along the way with others. Although it is treated as such, sustainable living is not a privilege. It is the basis for the ongoing experience of life. Yoga and Polarity Therapy are not just for our own immediate health and well being but that of the next seven generations.