At about 1am this morning, the power went out due to a windstorm. I didn’t worry, as I used my cell phone alarm to get up. But the wind did keep me up most of the evening. At 5am, there was still no power. Still not worried, I managed to get everything together that I needed. BUT, when I opened the door, I realized, I was on the 4th floor, and didn’t know where the stairs were! After pacing up and down the hallway with my bike, I was slowly becoming a caged rat. Panic was setting in. The sole reason I am here is for YOGA! I needed to get to the ground so I could start pedaling to the studio.
After panicking for at least 10 minutes, I decided to open my hotel room door and look at the emergency map on the inside of the door. Mainly, because I had a fear that my electronic key lock wouldn’t work because of the outage! I must have been making a racket, because the gentleman next door opened his door. He definitely could sense my panic, and asked me if I had a cell phone. But, not for the obvious reason. The light from the cell phone gave off just enough that we could see where the stairs were on the map from the back of my door. But, the stairs were PITCH DARK too. How can I navigate a heavy “cruiser” bike down four flights of PITCH DARK stairs? The light of the cell phone also gave off enough to get me down to ground level. What a blessing…Cell phones…make good FLASHLIGHTS!
After pedaling like mad, down all foreign turf,I arrived at the studio at 6:25, not grounded, at peace, or present.
We began with meditation. This proved to be very hard (only for me…), as I just could not get present. But, eventually, Shiva brought me in to my presence through her voice, her tone, and her aura. It wasn’t until after I became present that I could notice my surroundings, and that Simon Park was helping with the class.
Shiva Rae is incredibly animated. She communicates through her mind, body, and spirit. Truly, it comes from her heart.
The morning was chanting, and getting to know each other. Students from around the world (Mexico, Sweden, Germany…), all for different reasons. Many are from the San Diego area, and Santa Monica. Those students are helping me with the CA culture…which still frightens me. The ones that are in Shiva’s class because they love surfing, were truly speaking from the heart. These folks live for the moment, the experience of the moment, and embracing the moment. Some may feel this is flighty or without responsibility, but I’m starting to believe in the life of YOGA, which is inheritently hard for me to give it all up for one trade, or philosophy.
Mini vinyasas, getting into the flow all afternoon. This day was so full of information that I left feeling completely overwhelmed, and also feeling like one week with Shiva Rae is just not enough. She is so full of YOGA, it’s roots, the Sanskrit, the mental and physiological (I almost typed “physiomagical”) benefits, that I feel humbled to spend this time. By the end of the week, we should have over 10 vinyasas we can architect into our own Vinyasa Flow.
This week is completely full. Shiva invited us to go surfing with her and her surf coach Thursday morning. I think I may take her up on it…This experience certainly won’t happen anytime soon again.
I finalized the day with an hour-1/2 class with Shiva from 7:30-9pm tonight. I’m glad I got a jumpstart on seeing how she pieces it all together.
More tomorrow… (excuse the typos…it’s been YOGA from 6:30-9pm today)
This was followed by another beautiful hike into the Santa Monica mountains with the entire class. After that, Shiva fed us all with an Ayuvedic dinner at her lovely house. 
