Dream A Little Dream

Dorcas and Erin S. were my teachers at my last class. But this class felt different for some reason. Students were from my running club at work and other colleagues from the Baltimore area, that I know don’t practice yoga. Throughout the practice, I was busily being instructed by DQ & ES and I wondered what was going on. They both replied “you’re going to teach a class later tonight”.

To my amazement I found myself at the evening class with a room full of students, I didn’t feel nervous, but only a calm energy ready to flow. I thought to myself, no past, no present, no problems, just in the moment. We started our breath and into our first sun salutation we went …

I looked at the clock and it was 2:48AM.

“Wow!” I said to myself, I haven’t remembered a dream in such a long time and this one was clear as day.

I’m not sure what the dream meant, but it might hint that someday I might be teaching yoga or it may just be a result of the 21 day challenge because I had the dream on the 21st evening of doing yoga. I was fortunate to be at the January 10, 2011 flow 2-3 class to hear about the challenge. I thought the challenge would be interesting since I typically practice two to three times a week between the studio and my home. I thought, “What’s the harm in doing 21 days straight?” The first five days were great, but I was concerned that I would not be able to continually practice during the 1st weekend. I had taken my family for a long weekend to Massanutten for some indoor water park and snowboarding fun.

Day 6: Saturday was a full day at the water park with Max and our friend’s three kids. I found some time to go on the Flowrider – an indoor controlled wave where you can body surf. This would be my second time in my life on this thing with the first try a couple years ago. The line was long and after watching all the riders in front of me wipe out or almost lose their bathing suits, it was my turn. The life guard asked me "Have you done this before?" as I responded "yes" I gently took hold of the board. It all came back to me and off I went. I was able to do several rolls, board throws, knee jumps. I was in the moment. The whistle blew and my run came to an end. Wow! What a ride. After a full day at the water park, I was physically and mentally tired but able to mediate for 30 minutes (yoga & the mind).

Sunday was dedicated to 8-hours of learning to snowboard. Max gave up after two hours of lessons and decided he wanted to go back to the condo. I decided to stay on the bunny slopes to practice my “J” and “S” –turns. The third hour I was ready as was my group to head to the bigger hills. The next several hours were fun, exhilarating and at times painful. The snow feels pretty hard when you fall down at speed. At the end of the evening I felt like I had been in a really tough brawl. My body was sore from head to toe with bumps and bruises. I made myself do a ½ hour flow practice with my new yoga toes I got in my stocking this year and Baron Baptiste. He’s on my phone and ready at a moment’s notice. I was expecting to stay sore, but after I was done, my soreness had dissipated (yoga & the body).

When I watch my dog wake up, I see him do his downward and up dogs perfectly. And I always tell him “Good down or up dog”. No one had to teach him this, it just comes naturally. I have been practicing yoga a few times a week for the past 21 months and now after doing the 21 day challenge; I continue to practice every day. I now feel that yoga comes naturally to me as if I’ve been doing it for much longer.

Yoga has transformed my mind and the way I look at things, my body in it’s abilities and most importantly my spirit to be at peace.

Thank you Dorcas and the Sol community for this challenge, it’s no longer a challenge, it is yoga, it is life.

Namaste ~
Glenn E