The Shakti Shine - May 13th, 2019

Shakti Love Notes 

We are always growing. I love that! And the more I grow, the more I recognize how important it is for us all to share what we're going through-- even (and especially) me.

So these Love Notes are a space for me to share with you each week-- about the studio, my life, how our community is growing.

I'll never be a failure.

As recently as a few weeks ago I felt this way out of fear. The intense fear of failure has actually served me well to get me where I am in life. I have a strong work ethic and pure motives, but always underpinning my successes there has been a fear of fucking up. What I'm left with is anxiety. What I'm left with is 'I am not enough.'

"You are going to fail."

These words were repeated in every speaker's address on Friday at both commencement ceremonies I attended for my sister's college graduation. (Congrats, Mols!) I was struck by the consistent theme. I don't remember anyone saying those words to me five years ago at my commencement... Maybe I just wasn't listening? Probably I was too busy striving and planning what my success would look like.

My therapist recently asked me what I was afraid of failing at, and in that straightforward question I felt totally lost and confused. Is everything an acceptable response? At the same time I realized that my lack of articulation might actually be uncovering a deeper truth.

Thanks to that conversation with my therapist and a walk~n~talk the next day with Emily, on April 20th I wrote in my journal,
'Failure is a construct of my own imagination.
Failure is totally contingent on what I identify as success. Failure only exists in the fear of the future. Failure is black/white, good/bad, right/wrong. If my world is fluid and based on the reality of growing, learning, connecting, and being real then I literally cannot fail-- it doesn't exist. All my failures are just stepping stones; therefore they are never failures at all. How do I choose to identify success? Failure is based in judgement. Failure is based in fear. Failure is based in comparison. Success also is relative. It's all living and growing and continuous and a process and discovery and available and present.'

Of course! And also... to write this down was huge in tapping into something more.

In teacher trainings we do this thing called a declaration, and one of my favorites is 'I give up _______, and I commit to _______.'

For me right now it goes something like this:
I give up failure and success, and I commit to living in the present moment.

So yeah. I'll never be a failure, and neither will you.

Here's to showing up, paying attention, and learning-- one day at a time.

xx
Ruby

Beyond the mat...

We love Athens.
And we love you.
So let's have more of that-- together.

Here's where you can see what we're up to outside of the studio.

Have ideas about where we should be / what we should check out / how we can show up?
Reply to this email to let us know.

last week:
Congrats to our grads!
Our team had 11 members graduate from UGA either undergrad or with a Master's degree this weekend. We celebrated them with karaoke & silent disco a few weekends ago, and they assured us their grades were better than their karaoke scores. Congrats, ladies. We love you!!!

coming up:
AFM Shakti Strength Pop Up!
@ Athens Farmers Market
Saturday - 9am - *free*
Come move with us! Sign up.

Yoga & Coffee
@ 1000faces coffee
Sunday - 9am - $10 donation
Flow w/ Maggie & get your batch brew for a perfect Sunday morning. Donations benefit the Get Comfortable Fund.
Sign up.

SHAKTI @ HOME
Go with the flow wherever you roam

Only $9.99 per month!
$5.99 per month for Shakti members
or for $2.99 rent any class for 24hrs

Practice Now

Inquiry Corner w/ Emily: Svadhyaya

Hi everyone, Emily here! If you’re new to inquiry, this looks like moving through questions, prompts, activities, and conversations that help you learn more about yourself. I’m excited you’re here!
...

Svadhyaya, or self-study, is what inquiry is all about! Self-study is reflecting on the ways in which where you've been has brought you to where and who you are. It's about checking in with how you feel. It's about learning how your body and breath reflect your mind. It's aboutlearning through the people in your life, both the ones you love and the ones that drive you crazy.

This week, ask yourself, where in your life is there disharmony?

What do you believe to be true about this situation?

Now, what is actually true?

In other words, what could you prove with fact? With pictures?

Does your belief match up to the facts?

*Check out my videos on the yamas + niyamas on Shakti’s IGTV. The yamas and niyamas are part of the foundation of yogic philosophy, and they describe various tenants to living a yogic and ethical life.*