Yoga & Community

Ahhhhh, the end of another first-week-of-the-session at the studio.  The week of getting reacquainted with the yoga practice (for those who took a hiatus right along with me!), and meeting new people.  The week of announcements, arrangements, and taking care of payments.  The week that ensure that the next nine weeks can go more smoothly.  Such a great week!

One of my favorite parts of the first week of a new session is having everyone introduce themselves.  It's always intriguing to hear what additional information (to the basics: name, yoga experience) students offer when discussing their yoga practice.  I feel privileged to hear students' reasons for coming back, or coming in the first place.  I feel humbled by their graciousness as they continue their practice, and the newcomers' willingness to embark on a new adventure - one that can bring as much personal challenge as it does revelation and joy.

In my own introduction I take great care in introducing the studio as well as myself.  Its story is as much a part of my yoga practice as all the years spent "on the mat".  You see, aside from wanting a walking (rather than driving) commute, I decided to open up a small studio in my own neighborhood because after a single year in the city I had already made a somber observation:  we are surrounded by people, and yet many of us are very, very lonely.  How can this be?  What is this isolation we experience in spite of our proximity to one another?

I decided that I would create a studio that not only provided me with a venue to teach from my heart, but that offered an opportunity for people to make connections.  That's what yoga's about, after all, connection.  Individually, we practice to "connect" the mind, body and spirit.  In the bigger picture, however, the practice helps us see how we are all integrally connected to each other, indeed, to all of creation.  Ultimately the yoga practice breaks down our self-imposed barriers to wholeness, and we feel unified...all aspects of our being working harmoniously, our relationships smoother, our environments healthier, our connection to the Divine stronger...our understanding that we are "the Divine" solidified.

It is from this desire to build more "we" than "me" that I do this work.  My practice, and my business, are not really about "me" at all - they are the tools with which I travel my path toward wholeness.  Of course, from a yogic perspective the answer to the above question about loneliness is simple:  when we reconnect with the Divine, recognizing our true nature, there is no loneliness.  I have found, however, that as we work on establishing that connection, it is very helpful to be part of a community of like-minded people.  What better way to find those like-minded people than working side-by-side with them during yoga or meditation class?

As the studio grows, so does the possibility of more people coming to it - both teachers and students.  This is an exciting prospect, and one that offers me the opportunity to consider how I can nurture that growth while maintaining my integrity as a yoga practitioner.  How do I nurture the growth of this community/business and maintain its "we-ness", rather than slipping into the often self-centered perspective of modern business models?  What are the teachers' and the students' role and responsibility in this community?  How can we come together to support each other without feeling as if a burden has been placed upon us?

As I learn to see and honor myself as a community leader, my responsibilities become more and more clear.  And yet, I am learning, and growing, and asking questions...questions for which I don't have the answers but, hopefully - together with my community - we can start to understand the answers.

Comments

[Sharon]

Hey Kelly,
I think this is a wonderful way to approach business, and yet can be a confusing one. We are community leaders as teachers--mentors and guides--and our whole focus of our business is outward on our students and helping them achieve their goals, become more in their bodies, etc. Yet we have to make decisions based on where we are in our lives--sometimes seemingly selfish ones--because we are the only ones who have to deal with the day-to-day of the business. If we make it all about everyone else, we will be ultimately unhappy.

So it is a balance between giving of oneself, and knowing when we have to hold back and keep some things for ourselves. That seems counter to teacher-personalities, because it *feels so good* to give, and we consider it our divine calling. But we need to remember to truly put ourselves first, and then put forth energies for others. After all, if we give too much of ourselves away, we won't have anything left to give. "Place your own mask on before assisting others." Wise words indeed!