Putting a pen to paper may be the most challenging yoga exercise I’ve attempted.
The physical act of etching feelings in black, audible swoops across stark white pulp brings a level of self awareness that rivals the toughest balancing asana. As a writer and yoga teacher, I see the complementary nature of these tangential creative forces.
In the rhythm of free-form handwriting, as in the fluid transition from inhale to exhale, bubbles the wellspring of human creativity. At the intersection of journal page and yoga mat, I offer you Spirit Spur. Here yoga and free writing present an open plane to explore. To create. To delve. I hope that Spirit Spur helps you unearth your natural flow.
I discovered the cathartic benefit of diary writing as a child, conversing with myself on topics I dared not venture into with another soul. An honesty and lightness came to issues weighing heavily on my heart once they spilled onto a page. This is where I first learned and intuitively applied the principles of mindful observation and bringing darkness into light. This was my first hint at the mirage of duality.
Yoga would enter much later, a savior when I was bowing to the stress of adult achievement list ticking. At that point, writing had diminished from a dance of creative self-expression to a capability I rented out on weekdays. It wasn’t long before yoga seeped off the mat and into my everyday thinking. I became self aware, at ease and mindful of choices. I stopped buying adorable shoes I didn’t need and passed on Cheetos.
I saw that I had a choice to acknowledge and release emotions as they flowed in. I breathed deeply and balanced here for years, content.
Until my primed spirit stirred. Meditation and nighttime dreams took me to new places, to an interconnectedness I’d not experienced before. I started writing just for me. Yoga theory and the body’s energy flow absorbed my attention. A dream of sharing yoga shifted into reality as I trained to teach. Layers of falsehood dropped away when I began really listening to my deep inner being.
Yoga informed my writing, and writing expanded my yoga practice. When these passions intertwined, my spirit soared.
Now, I’m overjoyed to share this empowering path with you. With the launch of Spirit Spur, I invite you to join our community and explore and connect with your soul, your breath, your imagination, your body, your dreams, your true self.
Spirit Spur will offer reflective writing prompts, perspective on yoga theory and concepts, personal journey sharing and yoga exercises. I’ll also keep you posted on in-person and virtual classes and workshop events.
I’m thrilled to embark on this journey with you. May you find your spirit’s light among these pages. Namaste.