Can we talk about how much I love special yoga events?
One of my absolute favorites is anything that the Melanin Yoga Project does. I wrote about them before and attended their rooftop yoga event. It was an affirming event for me, seeing so many yogis who looked like me both in ethnicity and in body shape.
Yes, we can move these thighs, ladies. Yes, the butt can take flight.
So when they announced their next thing, I bought the tickets quickly.
The next big thing was their Glow Up event — basically yoga in the dark with glow paint, sticks, and other accessories.
And I almost didn’t go. Why? Because of this.
What is it about Houston and rain that just makes everything more difficult. Was so looking forward to it that I texted my mat buddy, Piyokeesh that I may not be coming.
But something happens when you’re handling and juggling some big life things — cancer, family, work. Somehow, the responsibility to yourself, what you need to be okay, slips. That was a week that was overwhelming. The world was around my shoulders and I just wanted to move my body in the way I wanted to move it, not in the way I needed or was told to so that things could get done.
I needed yoga so badly.
But the heavens, they stopped crying and soon I was racing toward the event. Here’s what I saw…
My mat buddy, Markesha, was there, held a mat spot for me and even gave me her glow bracelet since they ran out.
Then the lights went out and the glowing was in full effect. They weren’t kidding about the glowing.
During the practice, I noticed something about myself…
it was easier. But that, I mean that it was challenging but I didn’t feel like I did last time where I sat in child’s pose for a large portion of the practice. I was able to keep up which means I have improved.
In fact, I was able to do a wild thing pose at the end of practice and compare it to what I did only a couple of months ago! Here’s the proof!
My intention for my practice: Joy. I wanted to have a joyful practice. I wanted for one second to forget doctors appointments and grading and lesson planning and bill paying and deadlines. I wanted to have joy. What I found was bliss. This practice was the first time I had smiled the entire week. I didn’t even mind doing the chair pose, a DEEP chair pose. And even…a baby crow? I don’t know, Markeesha said I didn’t one but I don’t know. My feet never left the ground so…
I’m excited about their next thing: the Melanin Yoga Project Expo!
Dreaming in Asana 