The Shakti Shine - March 18, 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.
Pisces season almost got the best of me.
Of the five elements, I have the most dualistic relationship with water. Some might say this is due to my rational Gemini nature and the element of air, which is mutable like water, but nowhere near as emotional or dramatic. Water feels like something I can't control, something ungraspable, something I have to give in to if I want to survive it.
I was fighting the current, splashing around & trying to hold on for most of the past month...
I felt disoriented, unclear and like I was drowning in emotion. (I clearly also felt very dramatic.) And I got tired quickly.
So I decided to look a little deeper.
Water immerses. It flows. She's movable, adaptable, easily agitated & easily just as calm. Water cannot be grasped & she will do whatever she needs to in order to move forward. At her best, water is soothing, cleansing, reassuring, & hopeful.
What I saw below the surface was what I needed to be reminded of-- Surrender.
At some point along the way, I decided to believe that surrender means 'to give up.' My experience tells me that if I give up then I must be a quitter, and everyone knows quitters can't win. So put away the white flag, because I really like to win.
But as I thought more about it, I had to ask:
What if Surrender doesn't mean 'to give up?'
What if Surrender means 'to give in?'
If water is the teacher, then this is definitely the lesson. If I want my life to flow like water, I have to drop control. I have to be willing to see the blocks, remove the rocks, & keep moving. I get to be present, immersed, & at ease, because I know the water will get me where I need to go. I can trust that all water leads to the infinite ocean, and I can see things differently through the lens of its reflections. When I am in flow I am inspired, collaborative, & adaptable. There is freedom & intuitive clarity here.
This is more than 'something I have to give in to if I want to survive it,' this is stepping into the current and being propelled to the next level.
I took a deep breath.
The lesson of Surrender is just like water-- emotional, directional, relieving, supportive, buoyant, gracious, adaptive, melting, intentional, purposed. The more you fight it the harder it gets, and a little letting go goes a long way. Ultimately, it's a choice to give in.
Surrender is a choice to move forward.
“Be a drop, a stream, or a raging river—it doesn’t matter which form you take, as long as you remain in the flow” (Perfectly Imperfect, Baron Baptiste)
Glad I learned the lesson with a few days of Pisces season to spare... to be fair, I do choose to believe that the next step is always right on time when I go with the flow.
Here's to moving forward.
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.
recap:
~ Spring Break ~
It was chill. It was cool. It was (somewhat) sunny & even kinda warm.
If you were here, thank you for flowing with us.
If you were gone but now you're back-- Welcome back. We missed you!
It's the final push to the end of the semester-- Stay in the work. Commit to your practice. Show up and see what's possible...
Spring events you need to know about...
COME TO THIS WORKSHOP TODAY
6-8pm // & follow Rachel on instagram at @iamrachelricketts
This 101 workshop is an opportunity to come together to have sacred and spiritual conversation about race and racism, acknowledge white privilege, prioritize POC voices and actively contribute to lasting, effective social change.
Shakti Strength
@ Athens Farmer's Market
March 23, 9-10am
*free*
Yoga & Coffee @ 1000faces
March 24, 9-10am
$10 & all proceeds go to the Get Comfortable Fund
Spring Yoga Series @ Creature Comforts
April 7th, 11:30am-12:30pm
$15 & all proceeds go to the Get Comfortable Fund
(and $5 Athenamosassss)
Wishing it was still Spring Break?
Here's a playlist to help you pretend.