I spend July teaching a month-long class in personal and social development at Arkansas Governor’s School. This is a competitive residential program for about 400 incoming high school seniors across the state. There are no grades: they are there to learn for the sake of learning, and to grow as future leaders and as people. It’s a transformative experience for them…and for us as faculty. See, it’s no secret that faculty don’t actually enjoy grading people. We like discussing big ideas, and we like showing people new ways of seeing the world and themselves. But I think we would all do away with grading if we could. That’s exactly what we get to do as teachers at AGS.
The lack of grading is also one of the reasons I find teaching yoga so nourishing. Like AGS, teaching yoga is not about judging anyone’s “performance." It’s about experiencing new ways of seeing the world and ourselves, and about showing people new tools to help them become more themselves..
So many new (and returning!) students come to a yoga class with insecurities that they won’t be “good enough” at yoga. What they hopefully learn or remember during class is there is no such thing as being “good" at yoga. Yoga was never meant to be a competition. How liberating it is to realize that same approach applies to life as well. Life is not a competitive sport. We all end up with the same fate, after all. The point of life is only to become ourselves. What relief, and what freedom, to know that is all we must do.
Festivals!
It's festival season, and I am thrilled with what Arkansas has on tap.
Russellville Yoga Fest. Sept. 24, 2022, 9am-2pm, Sunset Point at Mt. Nebo, Arkansas. https://www.russellvilleyogafest.com/
A collaboration of Força Yoga and Sole2Soul, the Russellville Yoga Fest has hiking and meditation, local vendors for shopping and, of course, yoga--all on top of Mt. Nebo with its stunning views. And it's only $15! Schedule and tickets can be found here.
Yoga on the Mountain. Sept. 30 - Oct. 2, 2022. The Lodge at Mt. Magazine, Arkansas. https://www.yotmfestival.com/
Yoga on the Mountain has been my favorite yoga festival for years. I always return from it renewed and feeling ready to conquer whatever comes my way. And this year I'm teaching at it, which blows my mind. Because of that, you all get a 20% discount on tickets by using code ERINCLAIRLOVE. Schedule, tickets, and info here.
Upcoming Music Monday Schedule
Mondays at 6:30pm at Força
8/8 Aaliyah & Friends
8/15 Disney
8/22 Florence + the Machine
8/29 Lizzo
Meditation Class Begins Again!
During the academic semester, I offer at free 30-minute online meditation class every Friday at 2:00pm Central. Class begins on August 26. You can find the link for class on my website. Hope to see you there!
May you be happy. May you be well.
