IMAGE COURTESY OF SARA DAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY
To my beloved students,
OH MY what a crazy time we have been in (and are still in). Some of you have been practicing with me for years and I have been missing seeing you in person so so much. And for some of you, we “met” during quarantine online and I am so happy I have been able to practice with you and create a space for you to stay sane, healthy, and add structure to your life.
I feel so fortunate that many of you have reached out in person over the years and the last months. I think us yoga teachers don’t tell you, students, often enough how much we appreciate your presence. How much we grow from showing up to teach you, from your questions, supporting your practice, and creating space for everyone to be welcome and to be themselves. I have been able to grow into who I am today, because of you. Because you have allowed me to make mistakes, because you gave me a reason every morning to get up early, because you supported me when I needed it most. Believe me, whenever you feel like we’re helping you through a rough patch, you do exactly the same for us. So I just want you to know that you mean the world to me as you allow me to teach what I love and grow into a more loving human. So thank you for all your love, support, suggestions, and loyalty.
I’ve spoken often in classes about loving the Self, about being a silent witness of all of your emotions, thoughts, and communication you have with the Self. In these challenging times on so many different levels, this practice is becoming even more important than it has ever been. The roller coaster of emotions happening through the pandemic, being confined and limited to a few spaces, the fires, the daily news, the racial injustice protests, is real, and allowing yourself to be seen and heard in your emotions without judgment is helping you to move through them. Our breath is one of the most powerful tools to do so. Taking a deep breath in when we’re overcome with angry thoughts, intense emotions, and frustrations, is the necessary pause button and helps you to gather your thoughts and the Self. It’s something you have been able to practice on the mat over and over again, so don’t forget this amazing tool in your toolbox.
As yoga teachers, we should also practice what we preach and I have come to a point where I need to take a very long deep breath, use the pause button and love myself in all the ways I’ve practiced and taught. The pregnancy has not been an easy journey for me as I battled morning sickness for most of my pregnancy and got hit by carpal tunnel and a bad case of pelvic girdle instability, which severely limited me in my movement. Using my body for work and having been blessed with being able to do a lot with my body made me painfully aware of my limitations and at the same time kept on growing my love and compassion towards the pains and discomfort we all experience. So with my due date approaching allowing my body, my mind, and heart to open to this next adventure seemed to be the perfect embodiment of taking a long deep breath in and loving the Self.
Don’t you worry as I am planning to return in January (hopefully in person) and in the meantime, there will be recorded classes available through Yoga Garden, you can follow my journey on Instagram (@YOGITINE), and there will be some amazing teachers stepping in to teach you until I return.
I will miss you all and please reach out, I love to hear from you!
In love and light,
Martine.
Register for Martine’s last Power Flow class on Sept 16th @ 7:30 am PT HERE.
