Evolving the practice, one day at a time.

I was recently taken aback in yoga class by a teacher I’ve only experienced one other time. She wasn’t the permanent teacher, just passing through. She was also filling in for someone else and had the complete opposite approach to yoga—a surprise indeed! In this spontaneous class, I had a profound reaction because I felt the teacher embodied peace, love and joy, and I want to be able to do the same.

Just looking at her made me reflect on my own being. Can I walk around with a calm smile on my face and a low tone to my voice? Why must I judge myself, and sometimes others? Why don’t I smile more, why don’t I find joy in every moment I’m alive? So profound were these questions that filled my brain.

As a student and teacher, I know you’re not supposed to allow your mind to wander like this, but to listen to this master who studied for years in India and then ended up in Montana was such a treat. It evoked a sort of Kundalini Rising.

I’m really happy I wasn’t her groupie while she visited. I’m really happy I didn’t follow her around like so many puppies. I’m really happy I didn’t ask her any yoga questions after class; I just thanked her for her loveliness, and she smiled at me.

Sometimes as students we follow one teacher, and I really want to learn from the many. It’s lovely to be in a tiny town where tourists, wanderers and visitors are so easily welcomed into our yoga community.

I left her class on a cloud, wondering if I could achieve this sort of peace in my own life. As a journalist, it can be hard to balance peace and the fast-paced work. A day of silence isn’t even possible because I speak for a living! That is a hard dichotomy as a student, teacher and even just a human person: becoming immune to the wars I write about, the crimes I report on and the not always lovely humans I have to tell people about—so not peaceful!

My question now: how do I maintain this calm that I experienced in this one lovely class?

I’m not a meditator, and I’m not naturally calm. I don’t believe in resolutions, but I do believe in evolutions. I noted that when I exited my yoga room after a private practice a few days ago, I felt very calm. But those around me often think something’s wrong with me if I’m not all hyped out—another dichotomy for sure.

A wise teacher once told me nothing needs to be solved in one day; this is a practice. So, I can’t solve the world’s problems and bring peace to others, but maybe if I bring this sort of inner peace to myself with a smile mixed in, I can.  When we exude the kind of peace or being we want to be, we bring others into our universe that are like us. Like my mother says, water seeks its own level. So this New Year I seek peace, I seek joy, I seek love and I seek to stay level.

Lesley Lotto has worked in the entertainment industry for more than 20 years as a radio broadcaster and talent agent. Lesley’s from Los Angeles, but moved to Montana in 2005 to program Montana’s first Progressive Talk Station. After a short time, she started her own small news network for under-served radio stations across the county. But, it wasn’t long before Lesley was picked up by one of the top talk radio networks in the county as a regular news anchor. Lesley spends her leisure time with her husband and 2 kids in Missoula, MT, teaches and practices Yoga and hikes with her 3 dogs in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. [email protected] http://remotenewsservice.com

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Ed: Kevin Macku

 

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