yoga with kathryn: day one

Let me start by giving you a little background in how I came to love Kathryn Budig. Remember when Snoop Dogg had his on reality show a few years ago? Yes, the rapper. One episode featured him going to see a doctor because he was stressed out. The doctor suggested he try acupuncture, but when he expressed his deep distaste for needles, he was redirected to a yoga class- Kathryn Budig's yoga class! The clip is hilarious, and if I can find it I will post it. But anyway, that's how I first discovered her. This was back when social media was far less popular. Facebook was unheard of and I had a myspace account. Here's what mine looked like...

ABOUT ME:
yoga-loving vegetarian.
WHO I'D LIKE TO MEET:
kathryn budig.

I found out who she was by googling 'yoga teacher on snoop dogg's fatherhood', found her website and learned that she is not much older than me, and she graduated from University of Virginia (Virginia, heeeeeeey!) before moving to Los Angeles. Sometime later I connected with her on Facebook and asked her to come to Portland. She wrote me back and told me she was actually in talks with a studio to come lead a few workshops, and several months later she was here, and of course I signed up. She is a delight.

Tonight I had the pleasure of taking her two hour 'Aim True' class and it was amazing, inspiring, challenging and fun. I met some new people, learned some new things, and left there feeling happier than I've felt all week. Oh, and not to mention I sweated, sweated, and sweated some more since the room was packed and the heat was cranked. My clothes were so sticky when I got home I literally had to peel them off.

Here's one big thing I took from tonight's class- Do not look at someone's practice with envy, for you do not know their story. It's as simple as that. Nobody just pops into these poses without practicing them for a long time, and it's important to create a balance between your practice and those people and things you love that have nothing to do with your practice. And if you want to get better at any particular pose, just practice it. Really, that's it! Just practice it. "Show up, but don't mark your calendar. Just keep showing up."

And with that, I'm off to bed. Have to be ready for day two: three hours of arm balances and inversions!

Namaste, friends <3