YES...AND....

Are you familiar with the rules of Impov Comedy?  Improv (improvisation) often happens with a troupe of comedians being given some disparate props, or "prompts" from which they are expected to create a comedy routine.  One plays off the other as they throw the next line to the next comedian.  None is able to "pass"; all must use the "Yes, And..." rule, meaning no prompt is off limits. Mentally they say, "yes...and..." then add their own idea to the chain of events.  They think on their feet and by the end they've all joined to co-create a hopefully funny, often silly, sometimes groan-worthy, but always amazing skit.

Elizabeth's yoga classes are like that at Yoga Circle.  She always asks practitioners if they have specific things they'd like to work on in class.  Almost always there are requests for "hips", "shoulders", "hamstrings", and the like.  Then she uses her expertise to create a class that includes all those areas of focus.  I'm always amazed, but I also understand that the frequency of these request might clue her in to figuring she will be asked for them, so she's ready.

Last week, however, it went like this:  "Hips, holiday season feelings, shoulders/neck, sinuses."  WHAT?!?  I was stunned.  How was she going to create a yoga practice around all that?  But she smiled, rubbed her hands together with gleeful readiness to meet the challenge, thought for a moment, then said, as she often does.."Let's start lying on our backs..." and off she went.

We did hip openers and stabilizers, neck and shoulder stretches, range of motion movements, and throughout it all she interwove a pranayama (breathing) practice where we focused on the stresses and challenges of the holiday season, for some that means chaotic preparations and for some a time of loss or sadness, encouraging us to use our breath to calm our emotions and to always come back to the present moment -- the only moment that truly exists.  Toward the end or practice, she introduced self-lymphatic massage, an Auyurvedic practice of moving lymph out of the tissues and muscle fascia, draining back into the circulatory system.  She spent extra time massaging the sinus area of the face.

More than the actual practice that day, I was impressed with the knowledge that no matter what we throw at her, Elizabeth takes it all in enthusiastically.  Her skill with therapeutic yoga is evident in what she creates for us in asana and pranayama practice, but what I love most is the broad smile and happy countenance she has when her skill and creativity unite.

"Yes...And..." Indeed.

Namaste,  donnajurene