Giving Thanks For Yoga
The term “self-care” seems to be a bit overused these days and as a mother of a toddler, a few solo moments in the bathroom seem to be the closest I can ever get to it on a daily basis! The one exception has been a weekly yoga class over Zoom with friends and colleagues from the Metropolitan Opera. During the many months of the pandemic, Met Ballet Alum Christine McMillan has been leading our classes remotely from Utah. A group of current choristers and retirees has been meeting every Saturday for a little bit of restorative normalcy, and for me, it has been a life-saver.
Years ago pre-pandemic, we would meet once a week for class either after rehearsal or before a show and it was something I always looked forward to. When the opportunity came up for us to recreate this sacred time online, we jumped on it. The chance to see the smiling faces of friends and meet virtually to recharge and focus in the middle of a world-wide crisis was something we couldn’t pass up.
With so much uncertainty during the seventeen months of unemployment this essential life-line helped to keep us sane, grounded and healthier. Mentally and physically we were able to let everything go for an hour and a half most weeks. An added blessing was that Met chorus retiree and former AGMA president Linda Mays generously offered to sponsor our weekly practice during the time that we were out of work. It was a gift we could never repay and we were all so very thankful.
At a time when the world still seems to be upside down, I continue to give thanks for a chance to rest, relax and restore in good company, albeit virtually, never forgetting the importance of inhaling, exhaling and letting go of what doesn’t serve you. I will never forget the feeling of solidarity, support, community and care that resulted from these classes. May you all find something similar in your lives. Namaste, friends and happy holidays!