One part here, One part there...
aka entangled.
Sunday my client Lori came to yoga and I freaked out. Days before, I’d been drawing her into my consciousness. Who knows why…(sorry Lori, nothing personal). She was on my heart and in my thoughts yet I hadn’t seen her in 4 years and then boom - front row in my Sunday yoga class.
After a big over the top rekindling, she shared that she reads my newsletters (or whatever the hell these are) and I said “well, I have no idea what I’m writing about this week.”
If I’m honest, I was thinking of taking the week off as I have hefty homework due Monday for my mentor and right as I was sitting down to tell you “THAT’S IT. I CAN’T THIS WEEK. DEADLINES. LACK OF CREATIVITY. LACK OF VISION. BLAHBLAHBLAH”…
I opened an Amazon package and looked down to see The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran had arrived.
Time stood still.
When I was seven or eight, I would sit at the front door and wait to be picked up for school or swim team or dance or whatever it was … There was a chair and a table near the entrance with a gold book on it. It was fancy. Often times I would sit there and pretend to understand the content of the pages. It was way over my head. I couldn’t pronounce the authors name but I made a mental note that one day I’d make sense out of this special book.
*The late 80s were full of gold laden goodness: Gold ballet flats, Gold Cleopatra costumes, my little brother the Golden boy (IYKYK), and Gold books from 1923 (not pictured).
That cherished book in my parent’s house was The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.
I had forgotten all about this memory until recently. I was listening to the best damn podcast (outside of mine) Know Thyself with Andre Duqum episode 92 with Gregg Braden. Please tell me you know of Gregg Braden. This particular podcast is a long form conversation broken up into two parts. It’s so heavy but it’s everything Matt and I would chat about day in and day out. I’ve listened to both episodes 2 times each.
In part one, Gregg begins to share about a book that truly changed him.
Before he spoke the words I knew he was going to say THE PROPHET.
That gold book immediately popped into my mind.
Thankfully, we live in an Amazon world … (ugh-well, thankfully, in this instance).I ordered it yesterday and it arrived 24 hours later.
It’s not gold but it’s the one.
Of course I flip it open and the first line I read is from the forward:
Your joy is your sorrow unmasked…Some of you say, “Joy is greater than sorrow,” and others say, “Nay, sorrow is the greater.” But I say unto you, they are inseparable. Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.
Could be my age.
Could be the loss of my beloved Matt.
Could be the seared memory of extravagant, cherished objects in my childhood home.
Could be a kaleidoscope of factors.
This conversation keeps arising.
It’s never just one thing. The disease in your body is not just one thing. The relationship not working out is not just one thing. The world wars don’t boil down to just one thing. As Gregg Braden explains in part 2, “Time is entangled. Everything is connected to everything. It is holographic. That means that the whole is reflected in the part. As above, so below. It is fractal.”
The moment I sat in the chair as an 8 year old girl attempting to read The Prophet mirrors the moment I sat on my sofa reading through the pages in my 45 year old body.
Everything is connected. We are here and there and everywhere.
Life is hard and without fail you are guided, protected, and your own healer.
How well can you tolerate and interpret the contrast?
Sometimes it takes the brutal act of letting yourself down and feeling into your own darkness to see that you in fact are your own prophet.
And you’re right where you need to be.
OKAYILOVEYOUBYEEE,
xx
Nic.
ps. Classes this week:
* Tuesday QUICKIE YOGA (today) 12-12:30pm pst. $10. This is a well rounded, accessible yoga flow paired with music that includes mobility work and a 5 minute savasana. It’s meant to be a community offering at $10 a class and if you need financial assistance, just reach out. Hope to see you soon. Sign up here.
* Saturday FULL BODY STRENGTH 7:15-8am pst. $20. This is DAY ONE of our MAY FIT program but open to anyone. We begin with CARS, strength train lower and upper body, enjoy 2 dance breaks, and then end with a 5 minute guided meditation. Come for the dancing, stay for the booty pump. LOL. It’s all levels and the weekend energy is always a delight. Sign up here.
* Saturday AVIATOR NATION YOGA FLOW 9-10am, 10:15-11:15am. In person, in Santa Monica. Come on out. Sign up here.
* Sunday AVIATOR NATION YOGA FLOW. 10:45-11:45am. In person, in Santa Monica. Come on out. Sign up here.
pps. MAY FIT 2024 is up next. We begin 5/3 and I wanted you to hear from a few students who’ve been with me from 2 months to 2 years…
I was definitely inconsistent with making it to the live classes when I started, but since January I've really pushed myself to stay consistent and succeeded! In Feb, I started noticing that class, especially Fri yoga, was starting to actually feel good in my body. My knee has been getting more and more flexible again (I was able to sit cross-legged for a couple of minutes during today's meditation!) and the only headaches i've gotten in the last two months have been wine-induced. I feel a thousand times better in my body than I did a year ago and I'm looking forward to how I'm going to feel this time next year. - Robynne
I was taking 2-3 Claritin a day during allergy season before I started working with you. You taught me to be curious about nasal breathing. Again, consistent practice of nasal breathing has bled into all aspects of my life. Now, I only take 1 Claritin a day (when needed) and it takes A LOT LONGER and more strenuous activity to really become breathless. - Amanda
This community is special and it special because Nicole truly cares about each of and because of that we all care abut each other. Many of us have become friends, some of us have met in person, this community brings out the best in each of us. We have all laughed and cried together at some point and it’s a safe place to fall. It always seems after doing a class I leave with a new piece of knowledge or encouragement that I can carry throughout my day. Her support, her friendship, her happy, funny demeanour has brought many smiles and laughs to my world. - Rosy
Your community has helped me be more kind and accepting of myself on my fitness journey. I love showing up for class and hearing real life stories from your life (with the little lessons weaved in) that remind me that we are all human and that even the small things that happen to us are worth paying attention to. -Brooke
The value your program and teachings have brought to my life is immense. Firstly, my balance has significantly improved, which has had a positive impact on my daily activities. Secondly, I am physically stronger thanks to your guidance and support. Most importantly, you have taught me invaluable lessons about listening to my body, modifying or stopping when I feel sharp shooting pain, and being mindful of how my body feels on any given day. Additionally, you have instilled in me the courage to step out of my comfort zone and push my limits. Your encouragement to give myself permission to adjust weights on tough days has been empowering, and your words "you are stronger than you think" have motivated me to challenge myself and push beyond my perceived limitations. - Ronit
It’s smart. It’s brief. It’s enjoyable.
M / W / F 6:30-7:05am pst (Lower, Upper, Yoga)
SAT 7:15-8am pst (Full body)
The IG chat group is a special treat as all the women are so fun, FUNNY, kind, supportive, and accountable to one another. It makes the month that much better.
Learn more here or reach out to me directly…
ppps. EPISODE 18 OF SHOCK AND YALL IS OUT NOW. I’m speaking with my long time yoga pal SARAH EZRIN. She is a contributor for Yoga Journal, Healthline and Motherly, author of The Yoga of Parenting, mother of 2, teacher, and all around warrior woman - heads up - we get pretty intimate in this one. We discuss eating disorders (this video below mentions EDs), parenting, misconceptions in the yoga community, the joy of getting older and so much more! This episode unpacks so much. Here’s a snippet below. OH AND PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE, REVIEW THE SHOW HERE. Thank you in advance and enjoy…
Loved our condo! Thank you for inspiring so many!!!!!!!!!