First, thank you for your comments and great support to my last blog. I’ve made it a commitment to just be honest, and the internal response is an unbelievable spaciousness. To put my feelings out there into the world for anyone to take is not doubt scary, but more I’m giving them away and it is that that is so liberating. I remember my one of my teachers always saying the things that are most valuable to us are essentially the things we give away (think of a father giving away his daughter in marriage). The feelings and experiences that I share are truly meaningful to me, whether they are holding me back or pushing me forward, I covet them. But now I am giving them away as the richest part of myself. Scary or not I feel like I have to, but more I want to. I know there are many other things to myself that I can improve upon, after all we all can (so I’m not alone in that), and I will continue to process and grow. But now I am ready for new beginnings which have already been happening, only I’m now ready to step into that fully. My new beginnings start with the idea of each day looking to celebrate someone else. I want to shift my perspective of the yoga culture that was tainted by my previous experiences. I want to see the gifts of everyone and their strengths, beauty and offerings that they supply to so many. After finally getting my deepest feelings of failure, envy and anger out of me (well out there at least), I have the space to bring in the gifts of others. So here I go.
I bought my friend David Romanelli’s new book yesterday, Yeah Dave’s Guide To Livin’ The Moment, (http://www.yeahdave.com). David is a teacher in Santa Monica. I guy I met one year in Tucson while assisting one of John’s workshops. I remember him because I was told he was an owner/founder of At One Yoga, the largest set of studios in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. That of course impressed me and so I felt the need to both give him attention and check him out. Did he stand up to his title? That was me back then, young and dumb enough to think that your physical practice said everything about you. Dave’s practice was fine, but not “owner of large, successful studio” worthy. So I dismissed his capabilities, which meant I just dismissed him and put him with the long list of others who I deemed similar to Dave. Of course throughout the years I heard of Dave and his Yoga + Chocolate workshops. Jealousy is a terrible emotion because instead of thinking, “that’s cool,” “I thought how’s that yoga?”
Fast forward... In January I was back in LA. I was now older and I wish I could say wiser, but I had gone through my reincarnations. I was forging my new relationships and new identity. I was in LA co-leading a teacher training. I thought I would check out some yoga in Santa Monica, but my cynical yoga mind was still too strong (remember it was only a few days ago I gave away my feelings, so cut me some slack!). My wife’s best friend said she was going to Dave’s class and why don’t we meet her there. I thought “Okay, I know Dave.” It probably wouldn’t have been my first choice, but I like the person he is. So off we went. It was a fine asana class, and his music rocked as did his pre-inaugural message. At one point though I thought, “He’s more like a DJ then yoga teacher.” We talked a little before and after class. It was really nice to reconnect. He new of my happenings and wanted to get the inside story to my experiences. You know, what did the Kool-Aid taste like? Why did I spit it out? Stuff like that.
Just yesterday I decided to give his book a chance and in doing so I’ve opened up to a tremendous amount of appreciation, admiration and love for Dave. It is a great book of honesty, humor and powerful teaching from a guy who is very intelligent, compassionate and experienced. He’s a real guy doing his best and in reading his book I would like to call him not just a friend, but a teacher for me. So here’s my big shout out to “Yeah Dave,” and my big lesson that if I go in with an open mind then I might just find out what it means to really participate and share in this world.
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