Ana planted a seed last week that has already sprouted today. She asked me to guest teach at her Medina yoga studio on Wednesdays.

I woke up early this morning to go and do just that. My eyes popped open several minutes before my alarm went off. I laid in bed until the “DO DO DO DO DOO DOOO” music was silenced by my index finger hitting “Stop.”

Despite feeling a little under the weather, I got in the shower, got dressed, and was out the door by 7am. After a pick me up from PAX, I started the thirty minute drive to meet Ana and the girls for our first yoga class together.

Highway 16 carried me over the sleepy hills of Kerrville into the hairpin curves and rich oaky forests of Medina. The Prius’ headlights shone in a reflection against rumble strips. “GO SLOW” “USE CAUTION” “CURVE UP AHEAD” the highway reminded me that in life, we should go slow, use caution, and expect unexpected twists and turns.

When I arrived, the parking lot was empty, and we still had 15 minutes until class started. I was able to do my morning writing, review my lesson plan for the day, and mentally prepare myself for what was about to happen.

Ana pulls up. She gets out of the car, a vision of dignity and grace. Can I be like that when I grow up? I’m pretty sure we’re the same age, but still.

How can one woman embody so much beauty?

You can tell just by looking at her. She is a force of nature. I was thrilled to meet her last week. I am beyond excited to be working for her, with her, this week.

“I have something for you,” Ana walks up to me with two giant butternut squash from her and her husband’s garden. They are so huge, I have to use both hands to hold them. Seriously, could this lady get any more amazing?

I put the delicious gifts up and follow her in.

Entering the dismal building, bugs join us, prompting my hand to reach up and swat them away. A leaky sink drips water in a stream of rusty orange. The sinks are giving me dejavu. I have to laugh at those little kid sinks that I swear I have seen before in a dream.

We make our way to the yoga room. I sit down. Girls begin trickling in, one by one.

“The ladies are still getting used to their schedules. It might be a small class today,” Ana warns.

At first, I think it will just be a couple of us, but then it’s a few, and then several, and pretty soon, there isn’t room left for any more yoga mats. The word got out that a new instructor is here, and they are here to see what I’m made of.

I look out at a sea of curious and somewhat apprehensive faces. I get everyone’s name. I write down how they spell it, I ask if they have any injuries or things I should know about, and quietly take notes while everyone waits.

“GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME!” I strike the singing bowl.

Another student walks in.

“Awesome! We are going to have to make room for you!”

I ask a few ladies to make some space. We fit the last attendee in, and begin.

“ONE MORE TIME! GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME!” I ring the bell a second time.

I explain the nature of our flow for the day, what I expect from them, and what I want to accomplish during my time in this sanctuary.

“My intention is to provide you with a platform of deep breathing to carry you through the rest of your practice. Everyday, all day, we are pulled in all these different directions and rarely get a chance to take care of ourselves. Self care starts with smooth, deep breathing. When we are babies, we breathe with our whole diaphragm. As we get older, stress mounts, and we forget how to breathe.”

We do the deep breathing. We do the warm up. We do the yoga flow.

As we practice, I hear lots of good signs, groans of effort, sighs of relief, and laughter between sets of mini ab workouts. It’s like an ab workout on top of an ab workout, laughter is. I’m loving it.

At the end of class, I come around and ask permission to place my hand on their backs in childs pose to help them open up the ribs in the back body and fully expand into their entire lungs.

Finally, guiding the girls through final relaxation, one woman is sitting up, staring directly at me. Her gaze is held with such intensity, I feel the urge to look away from her, but I don’t. I look at her and continue giving the guided relaxation meditation as if shere were the only one there.

This may not sound like a big deal, but I suffer from social anxiety. When I am in a new crowd, it is very hard for me to feel comfortable. I have a hard time being myself and making eye contact for long periods of time is no easy task. But my teacher Rick recently said to me, “I see you closing your eyes when you teach. Don’t do that. Open them up. Look at your students. Watch what they are doing at all times so you can protect them from injury.”

I’m not sure if Gynna needed protection from injury, but I held her gaze anyways.

Soon, she relaxes her eyes, looks down at her mat, and lays on her back. By the end of the full body relaxation, everybody in the room is completely relaxed.

One young lady is almost snoring. That’s one of the best compliments I ever get after teaching a class. And yet, the girls somehow come up with more. They have more love and endless compassion to pour into my already bursting heart.

We bring our hands together at heart center and I say Namaste.

A round of applause breaks out. Smiles all around.

Today was a success!

The future of the Arms of Hope studio is looking bright. Ana says she wants me to come back in October and take over the Wednesday morning yoga teaching position. Her supervisor has approved Ana’s plan to renovate the building, told Ana that I will be compensated for my time and drive in the amount I requested, and is looking forward to the future of the yoga program.

So am I! Life is good.

Now, time to look up some butternut squash recipes...