“You’re not leading with your heart.”
My friend Jenn said this to me last Saturday.
Shortly after that my friend, Mawi invited me to a special Mother Daughter SouLove Yoga workshop that was being held at SouLove Center.
For those of you that don’t know, SouLove Center opened it’s doors last February 10th. They offer someone like me, the opportunity to find another community to connect to be a part of. This is not a yoga studio.
It’s a CENTER.
A center for healing.
A center to build community.
And a center to learn more about how to take better care of yourself.
Gia wasn’t able to attend the workshop with me, because of her volleyball practice, but because I had been wanting to experience SouLove Yoga, I didn’t let her absence deter me from attending. There would be other people I knew in attendance, but truth be told, it didn’t matter whether I would know anyone in class or not, because I was ready to start working on me…for me…
Confession: It’s been about two years since I have attended a yoga class. I have had every intention of getting on my mat, but it seems time and circumstances got in the way of me taking better care of myself.
That morning, I woke up in a fierce mood, and I set out to be kind to myself by attending this workshop
In case that statement may sound a little like a paradox, let me explain.
I have often talked about these moments in your life that change you. They shift your perspective and when you come out on the other side you KNOW you are a different person than you were before.
Sometimes, these moments can be good. They can be moments filled with love, moments of clarity, and realizations about just how good God is. They can involve people who are dear to you, or even someone you have never met.
Sometimes these moments that change you are NOT so good. It usually happens when LIFE throws you a curve ball. These moments are usually filled with disappointment, anger, a lack of understanding, and maybe even resentment.
At any rate, when I look at these two totally different types of experiences, I see them BOTH as an opportunity to learn more about myself and the relationships that I choose to nurture.
So life has thrown me a curve ball. And YES, I will not only come out different than I was before…I dare say that I will be an even BETTER person than I was before…
This is why it was so very important for me to attend the workshop that Lia, Jenn, and Ryan put together for SouLove…for MY Self Love.
Lia opened up the workshop by introducing SouLove.
SouLove is a STATE OF BEING.
- It is pure unconditional love for the self.
- It is radical self acceptance.
- It is intense gratitude for all that is.
- It has INFINITE potential.
How do you achieve this state of being?
By MOVING.
By LEARNING.
AND By Growing.
After the short talk by Lia, we were ready to move to another room and practice the yoga part of our workshop. I found my mat and knew that I would have the opportunity to reconnect with myself. Yoga is about the union of self. No matter which kind of yoga I have practiced, I have always come out of class feeling better.
- physically
- mentally
- emotionally
- spiritually
Soulove Yoga as led by Ryan and Jenn was a restorative type of yoga. It was the return to me. It was a little taste of what I know I need to continue doing. Taking care of myself. There were lots of heart openers. Chanting. And reminders to tune into what I was feeling and where I was feeling it.
What I promised myself, was that not matter what I was feeling, I was going to recognize it, acknowledge it and begin to HEAL from the most recent curve ball that life had thrown me.
Towards the end of class, Jenn led a seated meditation that I found myself crying through out her guided script. I know I needed to release so much of the negative stuff I had been carrying around, so I welcomed it, but I was also conscious not to let the flood gates open because I didn’t want to disturb anyone else’s experience of what was already a wonderful class so others could return to their own center.
At the end of class, we opened up the room to a circle and we were lovingly serenaded by Lee Grane. I was so pleasantly surprised by the calming energy of her voice as she strummed the strings of her guitar.
I even started following her on Spotify. (You should too.)
When our teachers had wrapped up our class, we enjoyed vegan snacks by Saffron Plates to couple with our cool drinks which were from Holy Carabao earlier in the day.
I went home feeling refreshed. Renewed. Lighter. And like I was beginning the process of coming slowly back to center…and if I’m right, I think that’s exactly what SouLove Yoga is all about and what SouLove Center embodies.
To learn more about SouLove and Self Love visit the Center.
SouLove Center
Unit One, 3 Don Jesus Blvd.
Alabang Hills
(next to Welcome convenience store)
0995-474-1401
Website: SouLove
Facebook: SouLove Center
Instagram: @soulovecenter
Email: soulovecenter@gmail.com
I loved this, Mish! Hope to see you when I’m back in September. <3
Yes, PLEASE, Mimi!!!