The image of a butterfly emerging from its cocoon is a metaphor I've seen used to describe a blossoming, a rebirth, a re-imagining or a rediscovery. It's a beautiful image to think about, a transformation from one stage to another in which the butterfly emerges with beautiful wings, ready to soar and live out its life's potential.
So, too, are we. As we round the corner of our yearlong Covid-19 sequestration, we are slowly creeping out of our own cocoons, feeling the temperature of the ambient air outside our protected incubators.
During this past year, we have all learned a lot of new things, like how to use Zoom, or maybe how to make a sourdough starter. Some of us have learned that our homes are suitable for a home yoga practice, and some of us have found it impossible to practice at home.
Everyone has had a different experience during this unfathomable year, but we do have a very significant shared experience that will affect how we live, think and feel for perhaps the rest of our lives. This moment in modern human history is not to be discounted.
When you do return to the studio, you'll be able to share something you've learned during the pandemic on our chalk board. When you return to the studio, you'll remember how soothing it is to be in a space specifically created for introspection, mindful movement and building community. When you return to the studio, things will be different than they were a year ago, but that is the one constant we can always rely on.
Change is inevitable. The way we react to change can be fluid or sticky. It's part of being human to navigate change and our response.
One thing our yoga practice teaches us is that if we embrace the change with openness, clarity and keen discernment, we are able to shift to meet the change rather than reject or fight the change. We can go with the flow as we let go of attachment or expectation, and we can meet whatever lies in front of us with receptivity and curiosity.
It's not an easy task. But that's the practice. We keep coming back to it because we feel better when we are connected to our deepest understanding of ourselves, our nature and our humanity.
So, as we re-enter the world, perhaps with a little timidity, know that wherever you are in the process is OK. And when you return to the studio, know that when you land on your mat in this sacred space, you are safe to allow yourself to unfold. We are in this together. And we can hold each other—and ourselves—with care.
Welcome home.
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