What They
Say...
Anusara;
Flowing with Grace in the Three Rivers
Desiree's son had just died and she chose to conduct the teacher
training with an open heart and commitment to making each day
the best. Throughout that week in 2004, Desiree demonstrated the
meaning of Anusara: 'flowing with grace.' Desiree was tender yet
vibrant, determined and generous. All of us in the class were in
awe of her inner strength and her outer softness.
And Desiree and I bonded through our common experience of losing
a child. My daughter died years earlier. Desiree and I kept our
connection through e-mail,talking about how we moved within
grief. Eventually, she generously became my yoga mentor and has
been a consistent fountain of encouragement.
Desiree's commitment is to spread Anusara everywhere to as many
people as she can and she was keen to grow it in the heartland.
She emplored me to bring her to Fort Wayne. I told her she
didn't want to come to Fort Wayne, Indiana; we weren't the
'flowing with grace' type here, even though we are known as the
city of Three Rivers. I didn't think Fort Wayne was ready to
radiate its heart like it's rivers that flow in all directions,
but Desiree was not detered. My husband, John, went to Desiree's
studio in Arizona, took her infamously intense Eye of the Tiger
class, and had dinner with her.
Then I did a weekend class with
John Friend. Finally, our hearts burned with enough courage to
give the Fort Wayne workshop a go. Meanwhile, Desiree was
teaching every weekend in towns like Rome, New York, and Taipai.
Our town was scheduled a year and a half out. I pursued practice
and teaching focusing on the emotional aspects of Anusara and
began teaching in mental health facilities as well as my studio,
showing students how to open their hearts and shine even in
depression, anxiety, and resentment. Desiree's determination has
been a model for patience and open-heartedness as I work with
troubled teens and resistant adults. She's been a model of
enthusiastic courage for life despite the circumstances.
A few weeks ago, we did it. People came from throughout the
state and even the West Coast. Local teachers helped promote the
workshop and their students came. One of my students brought her
husband; his first yoga class. Even though it was smaller than
Desiree's other workshops throughout the world, it was a success
and people were lifted up on the flow of grace.
Desiree was her usual vibrant,
warm, and amazing self as she gives it her all no matter where
she is or what the circumstances are. We are going to do it one
more time, November 3-5, 2006 and in 2007, she will come to
Indianapolis. My students are still talking about what they
learned, how they are more open to poses, how good they feel,
and they are surprised to find more openness, healing, and
well-being in their bodies. Fort Wayne entered into the flow and
our practice was moved forward as the canal boats were once
pulled beside Fort Wayne's rivers.
Pamela Steinbach
Ft. Wayne, IN
"I'm writing to thank you for your work,
for your dedication to teaching and practicing yoga. It's really
something, you know, spending the day with you is so profound.
I'm fascinated by the phenomenon. Your words carry weight, make
an impact energetically. In a way your words serve as a kind
cover for the real teaching that is taking place, the teaching
that speaks directly to the tissues and sound waves that we're
made of. This is possible of course, because of your own
practice. Because you have really sat down and done your own
work in every way. So I am writing to honor that work, to honor
you, and to thank you, so much."
With deep buckets of love and gratitude,
Alison Alstrom, San
Francisco, CA
Desiree, A thank you doesn't seem
sufficient to express my gratitude for changing the person who went into the It's
Yoga workshop this weekend in Las Vegas into the one I left as.
That person is not yet who I want to be, but it was a nice
transformation and exposure for what's possible. It's both scary
and a relief to feel so naked in a person's presence. You have
an uncanny ability to truly see people. You're amazing, both in
attitude and your ability to teach. The time at a yoga workshop
has never gone by so fast for me or seemed so much like a party
while getting an education about the practice of yoga. I had
many "ahha" moments this weekend and tried to write down a few
to bring with me into the present. Life has a funny way of
bringing us what we need at the right moments. Your workshop was
able to help me become aware of some emotional armor in my body
which I want to rid myself of so I can be more present. My fear
is that I'll procrastinate and come up with excuses not to
practice and incorporate what I felt. However, the entire drive
home I was practicing my little treasures in my car seat or
while dancing. You're an incredible teacher. Thank you for
sharing your light. I hope our paths cross again.
Namasté,
Bobbie
Bobbie Thompson, Smithfield,
UT
