I remember walking with a dear friend on the day I turned 45, bouncing along in old converse with a bobbing ponytail. She teased me - Seriously, how old? Well, what are you planning to do with the next 10 years? Better get on with it! - She was the kind of friend who would just say it.
We continued our chat about pasts and futures, both of us mothers, with jobs and the type of constant tasks that are always present for mothers with jobs, but we talked about the things beyond that. We always did because she was the kind of friend I did that with. I told her I might become a yoga teacher, and she didn't laugh me out of the park. I went home from that walk and made a plan to include budget, time management, child care in a way that would fit in with the aforementioned. Then I applied to Camyoga for a 200 hour yoga teaching training, which is the first step on a yoga teacher's learning journey. (To be honest many thousands of steps later, I know the journey is a long one).
I honestly havent' looked back from that day, that chat. It was the encouragement to stay with the studio that had nurtured my physical well being, and my yearning to be a part of the sharing of the traditions of yoga that have really supported people through good times and bad. In yoga we manage the ups and well as the downs.
So, I was thinking today of my own history with Camyoga, the memories of Central Studio in the early days. Remembering full classes and the vibrancy in the social areas. Words that float to the surface variously: date slices, cucumber water, wheatgrass shots, hot yoga towels, jivamukti china gel, Manduka leggings. I'm also reminded of the brilliant, smiley, knowledgeable people on the reception, I want to name people, but am bound to miss someone so I won't . Except to mention the forces of nature that are Ana and Hannah, who have worked together so tirelessly to support the studio through the recent tough times of covid and beyond.
But so many styles of yoga taught at the studios over the years, each bringing something special, and particular. I asked the founder once about the differences. Louise was my first teacher and a wonderful instructor of the Ashtanga Vinyasa method - it's all yoga - she said. And so it is! So many ways to that feeling of being able release some baggage, like setting down a heavy rucksack at the end of a hike.
I've written more than I intended, not knowing what I was going to say when I started. Suffice then to note that the last decade of my life has been hugely enriched by my association with Camyoga, as a student, as a trainee, as a teacher, and as a friend and colleague to the wonderful people who work there.
I'm returning to teach there next week (9th May) on Mondays at 10am, an in person only class, at the Central Studio. I am so pleased about that. I would love to see some friends come to see what the fuss is about. Of course, not everyone can make mid morning on a Monday. The timetable has a lot of great offerings, well worth taking a look, including many live streamed and recorded classes which are sweet for home workers.
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