~ jankiness unfiltered
Photo: Erynne Elkins © 2017
Some areas in my life are a complete mess. And I don’t mean the, ‘Girl, you a mess, stop!’ kind. It’s more the, ‘Ooo, you doin’ alright?’, type. If I could locate my non-existent magic wand…poof! My hair, physique, and apartment, just to name a few, would be on fleek. But there is no mystical tool. Or is there?
Sometimes when faced with a mess, my inclination has been to clean it up. Other times to avoid it. This time, however, I’m calling it out. It is pure jankiness. And…so what. There’s power in the acknowledgement and acceptance of what is so. Yesterday, I showed up for class at Free to Be Power Yoga in Uptown. Kandice, our thoughtful instructor, created celebratory space early on by congratulating those whose first class it was in the new year (me). She also gave kudos to those on their third class. YES! No matter the number or the physical shape any of us were in, everyone showing up for themselves, for each other, for our communities, in that hour was huge.
Now, don’t get me wrong. The first couple of downward dogs? Please. I was on my tippy toes. And I’ve practiced yoga for years. I honored myself, taking refuge in child’s pose numerous times. The payoff? By the end of the class, my feet were comfortably planted flat on my mat during downward dog. I connected with a fellow yogi afterwards, sharing a gorgeous, blissful moment of individual and collective accomplishment. But let’s keep it real. My hair was still a mess when I left. When I got home, the dishes hadn’t washed themselves nor did my load of laundry do itself. But something was different. The caliber of my mess changed; just like the difference of my feet on my yoga mat during the initial and final sets of downward dog. I realized that if I do as much as I can, when I can, it will get better. And guess what? I did a load of laundry this morning. As for the dishes in the sink? Well…I’m working on it. Just like I’ll continue to do on my yoga mat. Namaste.