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boundaries
October 2009 
Friday
Posted on May 29th, 2009
by 
Sanieh
Sanieh
It's an interesting place to be, being a yoga teacher at times. I believe it's part of what we signed onto when we decided to teach, that we would put ourselves out there sharing intimate parts of our life experiences to make ourselves more touchable, real and authentic.
In this gift, I have found that there are parts of my life that I have to hold close and keep for myself because so much is exposed; by choice; but there always has to be parts that we keep for our own knowing. I don't mean any tangible "thing" or experience necessarily although maybe; sometimes it's more about pulling our energies back in when it's potentially being compromised or abused...or simply when it's time appropriate for any other number of reasons.
It's a juggle though sometimes because I cannot imagine doing what I do without exposing myself to a degree. While people only really know of us what we choose to share with them, To ME, it's the only way the "job" can be done. Although it's seldom, VERY seldom, I was once criticized after a workshop for sharing personal experiences of my life that seem to make a select few uncomfortable. What I have to say about that is this:
Anyone can study or even memorize a book. Anyone can use the jargon and "play the part". That doesn't make it real though. Whatever "it" is. If going out there and sharing the only TRUE thing that we can share as teachers (teachers of *anything* since we are all teachers in one way or another) makes people feel uncomfortable then my suggestion to those people is to take a long hard look into the mirror. We can authentically teach only that which we have experienced ourselves...and even so we have to choose to teach it from the seat of truth. We cannot teach of a journey we have not travelled. The guru reveals itself to us all in many different ways and is seen through life experiences defined by much more than age, race, sex, or anything else. On the other side of exposure, there are boundaries. If drawing boundaries makes people uncomfortable or upset, then the same goes... there's got to be balance and in balance exist boundaries.
This is what I'm referring to when I talk about pulling the energy back in. On one hand, (for just a second albeit), I think to myself "but I'm suppose to give and be open and share the love etc"... but then I come to my senses and say "yes, of COURSE...AND not only do I need to replenish and restore my energies, I need to be aware of when to protect them when I feel as though lines are getting blurred, or space/time constraints maybe aren't being honored or unknowingly disrespected etc."
I actually love to spend time in solitude for this reason. I have no problem being with myself but more so, it's a way for me to refuel and to check in with my own energy...that which began with myself and also the energy that I might have "collected" along the path that I need to drop off. There are probably a few things I enjoy doing with my time that most do not know about me because that's part of what I keep in for myself. I'm going to Venice Beach next weekend for this very reason... it will be the first time I've ever been there without my days being planned for a training or to assist a training. It's decompression and reconnection with source as *I* know it through nature, constant outdoor walking, swimming in the ocean and being in the heart beat of a community that I have no expectation of who has no expectation of me. Escapism? No. Rejuvenation and contemplation? Absolutely.
Moving on...
So here I sit Friday night... 9pm and what a productive days its been! 2 classes done with by 1030 am, drove to the shop and scheduled car repairs (sadly not until an opening was available JULY20th!!!), dropped off a few things for a few people, picked up a few things from a few people/places (gosh, sounds so shady and mysterious like some sort of drug exchange or something...HA!)...
...More like cookies, fresh basil and thyme, skin cream and "regular" non-yoga clothes on sale :) lunch at Galaxy Cafe (SO good!), yoga with my sweet teacher friend Andrew at the beautiful Yoga Vida 707 this afternoon, Lululemon drive by to see new promotional blow up pics they've put up in the window :)), then whole foods for dinner! Gosh, I'm exhausted just writing it all reliving it!
What I *didn't* do that I intended on doing includes but is not limited to breaking down and getting a Costco card, hair trim, Lululemon return, (surely there's more...?)...
Tomorrow night is ladies night out for something wild and crazy like a chick flick ;) I'm pleased to be a passenger on that ride... just awaiting the details :) Tomorrow morning might look like yoga, maybe a run on town lake and if I'm really feeling the gusto, maybe I'll attend the cross fit free community workout as well. We will see how (and when) I feel when I wake up!
Bowing to the blessing of being...on this beautiful Austin evening
All Love,
Sanieh
http://www.saniehyoga.com/
In this gift, I have found that there are parts of my life that I have to hold close and keep for myself because so much is exposed; by choice; but there always has to be parts that we keep for our own knowing. I don't mean any tangible "thing" or experience necessarily although maybe; sometimes it's more about pulling our energies back in when it's potentially being compromised or abused...or simply when it's time appropriate for any other number of reasons.
It's a juggle though sometimes because I cannot imagine doing what I do without exposing myself to a degree. While people only really know of us what we choose to share with them, To ME, it's the only way the "job" can be done. Although it's seldom, VERY seldom, I was once criticized after a workshop for sharing personal experiences of my life that seem to make a select few uncomfortable. What I have to say about that is this:
Anyone can study or even memorize a book. Anyone can use the jargon and "play the part". That doesn't make it real though. Whatever "it" is. If going out there and sharing the only TRUE thing that we can share as teachers (teachers of *anything* since we are all teachers in one way or another) makes people feel uncomfortable then my suggestion to those people is to take a long hard look into the mirror. We can authentically teach only that which we have experienced ourselves...and even so we have to choose to teach it from the seat of truth. We cannot teach of a journey we have not travelled. The guru reveals itself to us all in many different ways and is seen through life experiences defined by much more than age, race, sex, or anything else. On the other side of exposure, there are boundaries. If drawing boundaries makes people uncomfortable or upset, then the same goes... there's got to be balance and in balance exist boundaries.
This is what I'm referring to when I talk about pulling the energy back in. On one hand, (for just a second albeit), I think to myself "but I'm suppose to give and be open and share the love etc"... but then I come to my senses and say "yes, of COURSE...AND not only do I need to replenish and restore my energies, I need to be aware of when to protect them when I feel as though lines are getting blurred, or space/time constraints maybe aren't being honored or unknowingly disrespected etc."
I actually love to spend time in solitude for this reason. I have no problem being with myself but more so, it's a way for me to refuel and to check in with my own energy...that which began with myself and also the energy that I might have "collected" along the path that I need to drop off. There are probably a few things I enjoy doing with my time that most do not know about me because that's part of what I keep in for myself. I'm going to Venice Beach next weekend for this very reason... it will be the first time I've ever been there without my days being planned for a training or to assist a training. It's decompression and reconnection with source as *I* know it through nature, constant outdoor walking, swimming in the ocean and being in the heart beat of a community that I have no expectation of who has no expectation of me. Escapism? No. Rejuvenation and contemplation? Absolutely.
Moving on...
So here I sit Friday night... 9pm and what a productive days its been! 2 classes done with by 1030 am, drove to the shop and scheduled car repairs (sadly not until an opening was available JULY20th!!!), dropped off a few things for a few people, picked up a few things from a few people/places (gosh, sounds so shady and mysterious like some sort of drug exchange or something...HA!)...
...More like cookies, fresh basil and thyme, skin cream and "regular" non-yoga clothes on sale :) lunch at Galaxy Cafe (SO good!), yoga with my sweet teacher friend Andrew at the beautiful Yoga Vida 707 this afternoon, Lululemon drive by to see new promotional blow up pics they've put up in the window :)), then whole foods for dinner! Gosh, I'm exhausted just writing it all reliving it!
What I *didn't* do that I intended on doing includes but is not limited to breaking down and getting a Costco card, hair trim, Lululemon return, (surely there's more...?)...
Tomorrow night is ladies night out for something wild and crazy like a chick flick ;) I'm pleased to be a passenger on that ride... just awaiting the details :) Tomorrow morning might look like yoga, maybe a run on town lake and if I'm really feeling the gusto, maybe I'll attend the cross fit free community workout as well. We will see how (and when) I feel when I wake up!
Bowing to the blessing of being...on this beautiful Austin evening
All Love,
Sanieh
http://www.saniehyoga.com/
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