11/13/2024
When navigating loss there is a balance to find that lies somewhere between grief and gratitude; to sit in the discomfort of feeling a void, and yet appreciate the fullness that another life has offered to yours. Really, the two cannot be separated. Grief is, in essence, an expression of gratitude that extends beyond the end of a life that has profoundly impacted our own.
Early this week the Ashtanga community lost our teacher. Sharath Jois devoted himself to this yoga, and to the thousands of students who came to him learn the fullest expressions of this practice: discipline, devotion, and a deeper understanding of ourselves and the role we play in this world. It can be a challenging and tumultuous path, but he guided us with humanity and, some would say, a little bit of magic. He had a sparkle in his eyes, and an ability to see things in us that we couldn’t always see in ourselves.
I keep wondering where we go from here, but the answer is so very simple: we go back to the place we’ve always gone in times of hardship, or despair, or immense joy. So, every morning I’ll continue to step onto my mat with grace, humility, wonder, and a heart full of gratitude, and I will remember.
