You don't know what you don't know

A year ago, I traveled to India for three months of yoga training.  In the weeks and months leading up to the trip, I fully committed myself to becoming the BEST YOGI EVER.  I was at the gym daily, hitting the spinning classes and getting super stretchy.  I got really into P90-X and loved the Yoga-X episode.  Hannah and I even dedicated ourselves to becoming B-girls; I figured that having a solid top rock and being able to do the worm wouldn't hurt at yoga school.  I had my Indian visa and Lonely Planet guide; I was 110% ready!


The program I'd signed up for was a 200 hour Ashtanga teacher training. If you don't know what Ashtanga is, don't worry-neither did I!  However, the website had said it was vigorous and popular for Westerners who liked being active.  Perfect.  Orrrrrr, not.  Almost immediately, I realized I was in way over my head.


First of all, how can Dwipada Sirsasana really be included in the primary series?

Seriously. Ouch.

 Also, and more importantly, imagine my surprise when I find out that yoga is, in fact,  not actually primarily meant to be exercise! After years of practicing yoga in Korea, where the instructor was a lot like Ben Stiller's character in Dodgeball, and the classes included lots of KPop music and strobe lights, somehow, it'd completely passed over my head that there was actually a spiritual basis to yoga.  Basically, I felt like the biggest idiot at yoga school.  You mean, there's a REASON we say 'OM'?  Huh.  How 'bout that.


After the initial shock wore off, I was elated- it was like a Pandora's box of yoga info had been opened!  There was so much to read and learn!  Hello Patanjali and yoga sutras.  So many new ways to think about things.  So much chanting, so many mantras!  And songs!  I loved it all.  (Except yoga nidra. I still get anxious thinking about it). But everything else, I loved, still love.    More than a year later, and I'm still processing the lessons I learned in India.  (HELLLLLLOOOO BHAKTIFEST!)  While I was initially embarrassed about my ignorance, I was able to see that it just meant that I had that much more potential for learning.  Potential is a good thing. 

"Jai Ganesha! Jai, jai Ganesha!!"  In the Bhav.

In a few weeks, Ben and I will be buying a sail boat and then spend the rest of the year cruising around the Florida Keys and the Bahamas.  In preparation for the trip, we've been using the summer to learn how to sail. Ben's already pretty much an expert on all things boat-y, but I've got lots to learn. (Lots of potential!)   In the last few weeks, I've come a long way.  I've been out on techs, sloops, J24's, and keelboats.  I've even tried my hand at windsurfing.  I've learned about jibs and jibes and tacks and sheets and stays.   I've researched hull materials and types of keels. I can tie a bowline,  a half hitch, a figure eight, and a pretty alright monkey fist.  I've decided to become the saltiest of sailors, and I'm right on track.  How couldn't I be- salt is my favorite! I've practiced my pirate-speak and even read several chapters from "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Sailing.  I'm absolutely, completely, 110% prepared to live on a sailboat!


I would describe my first attempt at a monkey fist as "almost adequate".

Then, earlier this week we were listening to a sailing podcast, and the woman started talking about provisioning her boat.  My first thought was that it reminded me of Oregon trail, and I felt nostalgic. Do you think we could paint the boat to make it appear pixelated?  My second thought was, "huh, provisioning, I wonder if we have to do that?"  Previously, anytime I envisioned our daily life on the boat, I assumed we'd be living off of coconuts and sunshine.  Even though my degree in nutrition and science tell me that this isn't possible, I still choose to believe that it is.   Just in case science is wrong though, I decided to do some research on 'provisioning a boat'.  And WOAH, what a rabbit hole I've gotten into. Who knew so much went into this?  Grocery lists and storage containers and galley set-ups.  Produce savers and gear hammocks and the almighty can opener.  As it turns out, a LOT more than I thought goes into preparing for cruising.  I'd been putting most of my time and energy into learning the 'sailing' aspect of 'living on a sailboat', as opposed to focusing on the 'living' aspect of 'living on a sailboat.'  Apparently, this is a very broad, and also very important topic. 


Whenever I talk about my teaching philosophy, I focus on the importance of being a life-long learner.  It's a good thing that this is a priority for me personally, because life keeps showing me I've got a lot to learn.  Bring it on!

Ahoy!