What an amazing weekend we had (February 8-10) with our
guests Michael Matthews and Erika Hildebrandt of the Ashtanga Yoga Center of
Austin.
It has been a practice of mine to trust the universe to
provide, to open and close the appropriate doors, to support or release
relationships, and to supply financial means as required. So several months ago, I put out a request to
the Universe: Please help us deepen our Ashtanga Yoga
practice here in Lubbock, through the provision of a workshop teacher, someone to inspire, enrich, and enlighten our practice as students on this path, and to deepen my understanding of the practice as a teacher in this tradition… and oh boy, did the Universe respond!
I knew Ashtanga was “happening” in Austin because of David
Swenson’s residence there. When I did an
online search for Ashtanga Yoga in Austin a couple of things popped up: Yoga Yoga which is a beautiful corporate yoga
space with many wonderful offerings in various traditions, and the Ashtanga
Yoga Center of Austin, which offers practices in the tradition of Guruji, Sri.
K. Pattabhi Jois. I read Michael Matthews’
bio and discovered that he had a rich and diverse background, but the thing
that intrigued me most was that he is currently in seminary. For those who attended the workshop, we now know there is an even bigger story there. ;) But I thought, yes, here is a spiritual seeker,
someone who is looking for something beyond the body but through the body. I knew that there were pockets of Ashtanga
practitioners who were primarily into “the body” and my intention was to work with
someone who was engaged in the deeply spiritual side of the practice. So, I made a cold call, or rather a cold
email, inviting Michael to visit Lubbock for a workshop for what I can only
imagine is a modest fee. Michael accepted! Perhaps because he was intrigued to see what was going on here in Lubbock and to experience how Ashtanga was being facilitated. But perhaps also because he sensed some sort of calling to come here... he'd heard the Universe's plea on our behalf.
What I didn’t know was that Michael is engaged to this
amazing woman and experienced Ashtanga practitioner and teacher, Erika Hildebrandt,
who had studied with Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore and knew my teacher there,
M.A. Jayashree. He felt that it was very
important for Erika to join him in offering the workshop. After experiencing the dynamic between them,
I absolutely understand why. Erika has an undeniable radiance that allows people to soften in her presence. To make a
long story a little shorter, we were able to work out a date and then it all
just unfolded…in a beautiful and remarkable way.
The first two practices were at Covenant Presbyterian
Church. They have a lovely new space
called the Sunroom which overlooks the church labyrinth. I am grateful to Covenant for allowing us to
use the space. The Yoga Shala is not
large. On the contrary – it can fit about 7 comfortably. I thought it would
be easier to facilitate the group practices and individual assists with a little more
room. We all enjoyed the beauty of the
Sunroom, but Michael was very excited to have the practice in our small
shala. He told stories of his earlier
days of teaching out of his apartment.
He would “cram” 30-40 practitioners in, filling not only the living room
but also the kitchen and the bedroom. One person would squeeze in between the kitchen cabinet and stove, others anywhere they could fit a mat. People were hungry for the practice and they were happy to get any spot
they could. The result
though, was this amazing amount of energy (prana) and a strong sense of
community (sangha). My guess is the individual sense of "my space" transformed into "our space" - one of connection and support. Michael has this phrase, "Don't be so precious." His intent is not to say that we aren't uniquely "precious" but that protecting oneself or space (this is "my" mat, don't touch it - my bubble, don't penetrate it) creates separateness. Practicing in close proximity encourages a letting go of "my" and "mine" and cultivates sangha, community.
I must say that the Mysore practice in the Yoga Shala on the
last day of the workshop was beyond description. All of that energy circulating within the
parameters of that 16 X 16 space was…wow.
There was such a beautiful sense of joy in the practice, of giving and
receiving between teachers and students, teachers and teachers, and students
and students. The egos completely fell
away and we all sank deeply into this rich experience of… Spirit. I don’t know how else to describe it – an
experience of seeing and facilitating the best, the absolutely divine, in each
other – of, well… Love.
I am overwhelmed with gratitude today… toward Michael and
Erika, toward my family for their always generous support, toward my students
at the Shala who continue to enrich my life, and also…to the Universe, for
providing, once again, beyond my request or expectation.
