The Year I took Personal Process and Playfulness to Heart
Well this has been quite the year and I am so deeply grateful for all your support while I lived through the journey of healing my broken leg. Fingers crossed, 2016 will be my year for building even more of my strength back.
As I reflect on my year, there was something that kept coming up for me in my personal life and so I would like to call this year -
"The Year I took Personal Process and Playfulness to Heart"
I think it may help to actually title every year with the thing that transformed you the most. I ask all the students that train through me in Sri Yoga to start journalling - specifically they write "Befores and Afters" of each practice they do. It is great way to keep track of all of their mundane and profound moments that show up on the mat or the cushion. It also's encourages more writing of those profound moments that happen off the mat.
A big "Aha" moment I had this year was when I realized a recurring thought pattern of mine. When I am doing a lot of "Yoga Business" stuff, my mind tells me I am slacking and should be spending more time on my Art and Social stuff or Vice Versa! It goes something like this : "Brenna, why aren't you doing more? You have so much to do! Yoga practice, Yoga biz, artwork, music, being social, ....! There's got to be a better way, a more efficient way to fit it all in?"
And then I'll snap out of it.... And that sounds like this: "Geez Brenna, give yourself a break! Remember what you realized the last time you were feeling this urgency? You remembered what your PROCESS actually looks like. There are ebbs and flows to your waking life. Sometimes you are in super Yoga work Mode and when that eases off you go into super Art/Music Mode, and when that eases off you get to do Social Mode... And ONLY Sometimes, do you have the joy of doing all 3 at the same time.... "
And then I remember to tell myself not only to get off my own back but to laugh at my "You must always be serious and be working" attitude. I Remember that not only do we all have a process to this thing called life but to keep it a playful process!
I don't want to be hard on myself... ever. I want to love and support myself. I want to be tender. I also want to be Playful!
When I am Playful, I am actually keeping myself open to fresh ideas about whatever I need fresh ideas about. When I am being hard and scornful, I am shutting myself off creatively.
Before 2015, I thought feeling urgent was a normal and acceptable place to be. After 2015, I remember there is no need for urgency. I am living my life as I intend and remembering it is all a playful process.
What's your 2015 Before and After?
With deep bows and joyful tears of Gratitude to you all,
Brenna
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Brenna Geehan, 500-E-RYT, teaches weekly hatha flow classes in San Francisco at Yoga Tree Stanyan, Yoga Tree 6th Avenue and Yoga Tree Hayes. Brenna co-directs Sri Yoga™ Teacher Trainings and Retreats with Jean Mazzei and travels nationally offering Yoga seminars. To inquire about an upcoming retreat or training, or to schedule a private consultation with Brenna, contact her here. Learn more at www.BrennaGeehan.com