Right now I am moving into the rest portion of those three. The lyrics from "In the Heights" are resonating with me this week.
When I saw In the Heights for the first time when I was in college, I felt like Nina's song about just breathing clicked. The failure I felt as I struggled with leaving a failing relationship, figuring out who I was a person and professional. There were so many ways I put on a happy face and just felt alone inside.
"Straighten the spine Smile for the neighbors Everything's fine Everything's cool The standard reply "Lots of tests, lots of papers" Smile, wave goodbye And pray to the sky, Oh, God -" Just Breathe, In the Heights
I dedicated myself to the asanas (poses) within Hot Yoga. It was amazing to find the physical relief of letting go of the hurt. The healing process was able to start. The stories I told myself about what other people would say, would say about who I should be, about how I should heal was overwhelming.
What will my parents say? Nina Can I go in there and say Nina "I know that I'm letting you down..." Just Breathe, In the Heights
I had to focus on what did I want with my life. Listening to the divine feminine within me. My intuition called me to serve others by fighting for justice. Now, I have further find a way to connect social justice and healing. I hope that you will consider joining me in my next workshop. You can join me for our next workshop.
Rest, Relax, Renew
Restorative yoga provides a way “to intentionally cultivate a tool for self-care and to manage the stress and trauma that arise from the daily lived experiences as a person of color. (Parker, 2019). You will have the opportunity to be in the comunidad and individually reflect on the resilience, hurt, trauma, and strength you bring to your daily life as a BIPOC.
The following class sessions will put together the teachings of B. K. S. Iyengar and Restorative Yoga for Ethnic and Race-Based Stress and Trauma by Dr. Gail Parker.
Stay tuned for more on this opportunity!