Post Yoga Thoughts on Letting Go

Hello Reader,

I have had yet another yoga epiphany, more of a mini one this time around I guess. I can't quite articulate what came from it, but I know something did.

This one came from focusing on my breath. I noticed I forcibly exhale, when instead, I should simply let go of it.

So, I took this and applied it immediately to letting go in the poses, which lead to some pretty deep hip openers, and hip openers lead to mega emotions. I'm not exactly sure what these emotions were in reaction too, especially since humans hold old emotions in the hips, but it felt good to let them go.

I've been noting where in my body I feel tension lately - it probably comes with the dance territory - and it certainly feels a tad-bit crunchy all over. Now I will focus more on letting go of that tension, not forcing it out. There's a lot more relief that comes with letting go than with forcing something out.

Thanks for indulging my mini yoga epiphany!

- M

Buh bye summer ... Hello dance degree!

Hello Reader,

So, summer is over and on Thursday I will be starting my MFA Dance classes! I have been waiting years to be able to say this! I cannot wait for classes to start! I got my first textbook! (Notice that the title isn't entirely in English ... and I paid for it in Euros ... so that's a first)

I've been preparing for the start of the semester for the past few weeks by soaking up as much quiet, relaxation time as possible. I thought of trying to accomplish my "Summer To Do List" but that was a giant fail, oh well. Regarding the work world semester prep it is well underway (supposedly done?), and welcome week festivities have been happening all weekend.

I took a little hike up "A" Mountain this morning (which is a small-ish mountain located practically on campus) and was surprised to find the large amount of people doing the same at 6:30 a.m. - I'm assuming they were families of new students who were banished from the move in process by their newly independent, entitled college children.

Soon the "A" will be painted white and then gold again by the thousands of new students to represent a new beginning. It's tradition to have all new students hike up the mountain to paint it in triple digit temperatures (and an unofficial tradition to have a few dozen student sent to the ER each year with heat stroke or dehydration. Welcome to the college in the desert). 

I attended my first orientation as a grad student this past Thursday ... not gonna lie, it was rough, and looooong. I prefer to just drop my students off at these "info sessions" and leave. I don't think there was anything that happened in those 4 hours that could not have been accomplished in a few brief emails or online video. Speaking of videos, we had to watch this one and then were promptly given the "what it means to be a Sun Devil" speech ... so that was an experience ...

I was having a slight twinge of dread with the idea of start of the semester craziness happening. I didn't think I was ready for the 73,000 students to return to this campus, but then  I looked out my office window  last week to see a group of film students shooting their senior capstone film - and no, classes haven't started, and no, they weren't doing it for credit, they were doing it simply because that is where their passion lies. It was a perfect reminder of why I am in education and the performing arts. Seeing students in action doing what they love makes me very happy. And knowing that I'm going to get to be apart of the  academic art scene now makes me even happier!

I'm gonna be a grad student again!!!!

(You probably won't hear from me for at least 5 months)

Dance MFA! Woo!

Thanks for reading!

- M