"Who's Grace? Who is she?"
I love that Ben has gotten more than one person asking this question at Tahoe Cross Country in response to the marketing we have done for Skiing with Grace. When he told me this, I laughed out loud. Not at the people that were asking this perfectly great question, but at all the jargon yoga and meditation teachers can use that doesn't make sense to a lot of minds. Over the years it has been quite a list, but my favorites were from my early years of teaching when I didn't have great answers for people. I remember going round and round with a friend/student about "Letting go." I remember another student asking, "You keep saying practice, what are we practicing for?" And another, "You say you are inspired to open hearts. That sounds dangerous and messy." I see all of these precious beings as my greatest teachers because they help me to become a better teacher. My friend the other night told me he saw my Yoga and Meditation for Men Series and he read the small print about "being with anger." He said, "I don't need someone telling me I am angry." And we both laughed from the belly. This journey we are on is so fun when we don't take it all so seriously.
So who is this Grace that we are skiing with? I see Grace as the life that is moving thru. Well what does that mean?... Can you sense there is movement to life? If you are not sure, feel the rise and fall of your chest and your belly as you breathe. You might ask, "So your breath is grace?". Yes, AND, it's the beat of your heart, it's your eyes following the type on this newsletter, it's the hum of the refrigerator, the plane flying overhead, the warmth of the sun on your legs as it pours thru the window, and the breeze making the pine needle sway. Life is Grace-filled when we are present to it. When we are present to this life, doesn't it make us feel Grace-full? This is where meditation comes in, when we drop into presence.
I remember Tessa's first two years of life I thought I had to have another child, just to prove to myself I could do it more gracefully than I had with her. Of course this was before I had a regular meditation practice. When Tessa was around two it became clear that that fantasy was over and I just needed to work on not doing too much damage to the one I had. A Fierce Grace (not always fun) moved thru me in such a powerful way when she was between 2 and 3 years old, so when Tessa was 4 years old, I finally took a seat and watched the life that was moving thru me, and her. I found my daily sitting practice and soon came to find how Grace-filled it all was. AND, I felt more Grace-full no matter how clumsy, awkward and weird things were. Grace had always been there, I just hadn't attuned to it. Now, fast forward Tessa to age 12, and sometimes it feels like I am back to the 2 to 3 year old age with Tessa where everything is "NO". But now I know to spend more time sitting with myself and watching the life that wants to move thru. And I feel more Grace-Full in the process.
So how does this all apply to skiing? Ben and I have been talking about this since the beginning of our relationship. What would it be like for a group to be held in the container of silence as we ski? I used to dance with my meditation teacher. Sure there was music, but there was no talking and very little instruction. We, the students, would start in silence stretching, then the music would come on and he would come out on the dance floor. There were no words and we would just follow his moves. It was amazing to watch the Grace move thru the group with all different levels of dance abilities. My favorite part was when I would just drop in, dance and somehow knew the steps. I could see when the mind would take over because I would mess up the steps, or turn the opposite way everyone else was, but it didn't matter because the silent container held me and I would drop in again and get right back to dancing. This is what Ben and I want to create by "Skiing with Grace".
This workshop has generated a lot of great conversation. One friend I ran into told me that it was a great idea, because this skate skiing isn't all about hammering, but about efficiency. Another gal told me it was a great idea because her friend had just told her that she went to a church just to find some silence. I've talked to a lot of people that have always wanted to get into skate skiing because it seems so peaceful and a great workout to boot. These thoughts are similar to the many conversations I have had with people that want to start a meditation practice. So, if you are interested in Skiing with Grace, here is what you can expect: Silence (no cell phones, no talking,), a warm fire in the yurt, a little movement, a little sitting, a little instruction from the two of us, the silent container will be taken out to the trails, some pauses on the trail to drop in with ourselves and the group, weather permitting an outside sit, back to the yurt to take care of our bodies in silence and then sit. You may ask, Why would I do this when I can just do this on my own?... It is a real treat to have the container for silence held for you so you can experience Grace. She's amazing! :)
So if you don't get a chance to do this with us. Practice whatever you are up to, fill in the blank, ________ with Grace. I was skiing behind Ben the other day and he asked, "Are you skiing with Grace?". I responded, "I was "thinking" about Skiing with Grace." And then I dropped in, feeling my heart pound, my lungs expand, my legs and arms burn and I Gracefully moved over the snow, amongst the majestic mountains and forest. And that is fun!
Hope to see you soon!
Namaste,
Shari
