“Is he going to fall, Mom!?”
“Is he going to pee on us?”
“How does he stay up there?”

Probably not.
Maybe.
Trust.
And how do you all know it’s a He? My eyes tell me that powerhouse is probably a She.

Our family of five gazes up into the sky at an awe inspiring orangutan at the National Zoo in Washington, DC. She traverses the sky with all the time in the world. There is no time to rush. No one has sent her on this sojourn. Her climb and travels are of her own choosing. Her movement and pause are of her own volition.

“Huh…” wonders my husband quietly by my side. “Look at how she’s in her body. She isn’t puffing up her chest or scrunching her shoulders. She is so relaxed up there.”

Swami Greg is observant. And he’s right. She is beautiful in her ongoing dance between contraction and release, strength and flexibility, groundedness and surrender.

I smile as I flash in my mind’s eye to the end of a private session with any one of my magical clients. I ask my guaranteed question, “What do you feel?”

And the myriad of answers (all real things I have been told),
“Sturdy.”
“Soft.”
“Grounded.”
“Relaxed.”
“Strong.”
“Open.”
“My feet.”

This Orangutan knows steadiness. She knows how to balance contraction and release to create freedom. I catch my breath as she pauses, turns her body open toward the big sky and leans in. Her hands clasp just enough on the line above. Her toes curl no more than necessary on the line below. She leans forward into the air, she leans into her breath, she leans into her freedom that no one can take away from her. Her counterweight is perfection in its soft engagement behind her expansive chest.

She leans into her body. She trusts it. And in this moment, she is flying.

Just as we can too.

I haven’t taught an open group class in over three years. It feels like a homecoming of sorts to offer one. Details are below on a very special 6 week fall series class. Join me and let’s explore the freedom that your body has to offer through appropriate tension and appropriate release. Let’s explore along with our dear friend in the sky.

Take good care,
Rachel
—————

What: Therapeutic Yoga for the upper body: Movement, stillness and breath with Rachel Manetti, Certified Yoga Therapist

We will focus this series on tension in the neck, shoulders and upper back. (Those sneaky buggers.) Participants will complete a questionnaire in advance which will allow me to focus the class to particular areas of both class and functional need. (FYI, this is the gold of working with a Yoga Therapist. We are trained extensively to support you in the integration of yoga into your everyday so that your tools from class go far beyond just strengthening and stretching while on the mat.)

Where: Christ the King Lutheran Church, 600 Walnut Street, Cary

When: 9:30-10:45 a.m., on 6 consecutive Tuesdays,
October 8, 15, 22, 29, November 5 & 12

Who: Maximum of 12 students. Please bring 1 mat, 1 blanket, 1 strap (or belt) and 1 block.

How: Signup for full series required in advance. Space is limited. Please email me at Rachel@PureResilienceYoga.com to join this practice group.

How much: $120 for this customized class