Partnership, Acro yoga, community and a better world

I was in Spain on an Acro Yoga general immersion.
This kind of yoga practice is a lot of fun, but requires a lot of energy, both yin and yang. You have to be able to awaken the inner fire and use all your concentration skills and strength for the acrobatic part, but you must also allow yourself the luxury of relaxation in the form of thai massage. It is a very complete but more powerful type of yoga. And its uniqueness lies in that it is based so much on co-operation and trust in each other. This practice is about Partnership.

I must tell, before going there I was a little afraid whether I would be strong and experienced enough to do all the things, but the power of community really helped me to pass all my boundaries and to achieve some great victories.
No need to mitigate my personal dedication and engagement, but all this would have been impossible without the support of that wonderful human environment that was surrounding me there. Imagine a place where 50 people gather, people from almost all corners of the world, complete strangers with different languages and habits, but with one same goal. This whole situation augurs something extraordinary to happen, but there are really no accurate words to describe the 5 days I spent there.

The house was small and we had to share only two bathrooms. Our commitment was for six hours of practice a day with a short two hours lunch break, so the fact that all these people had to be ready in the same time would normally give way to all sorts of conflicts. Therefore the organisers asked us to share the bathroom in the spirit of the 'more than one at a time' spartan rule. When in our over-individualised society we are finally forced to give up a lot of our personal space and intimacy, it can easily create tension and stress. I, myself was probably amongst the most worried about this, but I was soon amazed how quickly I could adapt to the given conditions. People also, instead of moaning and complaining started to be more co-operative and understanding. We instantly started to grow to be a community and a wonderful sense of oneness and love sprinkled the air. Caring and mindfulness about the others became apparent among us, and even without words, we made the pact suggested by our teacher: we are sisters and brothers.

One day in the class, we made a circle and everyone was invited to share what he or she would take home from this place. Our main organiser, one of the teachers said that he would take the hope that people can live in so much harmony, since he looked around here one night and he could see wonderful scenes of love and compassion in all corners of the yoga retreat. That is true, already from day one, people were sharing themselves with each other. After lunch or dinner, you could see some guys engaging in interesting talking, others playing the guitar and singing together, others meditating silently, again others massaging each other trying to relieve the muscular stress of the day, some practising more flying, and last but not least those who were JUST silently doing their little jobs around the house, our great karma yogi friends. These guys did not took the class, they just came here as volunteers to facilitate our daily life. Great souls.
It was truly amazing, I saw no tension between anyone, no quarrels, only harmony was present. People were totally open to each other and to new experiences.

And on this wonderful basis a brilliant structure could be built. Our practice grow better and bolder and more carefree day after day. The energy went really high especially after day three. I did things that I look at now and I say, wow. I would have never imagined that I would be in a handstand, or that I would jump up on the legs of my partner like a little arcobat in the circus, my head of course upside down between her feet. This pose is called the Star, and indeed, the first time you do it you feel like high in the sky.

Also we had no alcohol or anything like that to stimulate us. Not even coffee to the greatest sorrow of many. But still, we were so filled with positive energies, that people started to shine, all was smiling and they had achieved such an incredible physical stamina that many were practising down in the shala until late at night.
The seed of this positivity was planted on the first day when we were told that the phrase "I can't" was strictly forbidden in the room. And yes indeed, our human potential is much greater than we would think, but sometimes the support of a great community is essential to make a step further. And here it was all given, so generously. In most of the exercises we were changing partners but no matter who I worked with I could see encouragement and great coaching. This also does not happen very often in "normal" life.

Another interesting thing was, that I think I never gave so many hugs in such a short time. I guess I hugged many more people than I usually do in a whole year. But at this place this seemed to be the most natural and intuitive action. We received love and attention all the time and we gave it back whenever we could.

Yes, after this week, despite my inborn Hungarian tendency for pessimism, I continue to believe in the Human. Yes, if we can create such a paradise for 5 days with total strangers, then we have the potential to do things also on a greater scale. I just saw an interview with Seane Corn who will soon come and give a worshop here, and she said that the yoga community has a great potential and responsibility. Therefore we should act and get "off the mat into the world". I totallly agree, and now I am thankful that I had a real life experience to be able to fully integrate with this idea. We can create beautiful things around us and there are no limits. My first step is to create a small circle, my yoga community, the like-minded people around me so that we can take our fare share in making this world a better place.
If you read this blog and want to join me, you are very welcome.
Om, shanti shanti shantiiiiihhh.