Saturday, September 7th
I got up pretty early, anxious and excited for The Parisienne19, Yoga at the Eiffel Tower!
WHAT yoga at the Eiffel Tower? I was going to be wending my way to the Eiffel Tower all by myself, preparing to be immersed in a crowd of 2000.
Once in the general facility of the Eiffel Tower even a Parisienne could get lost! Partly because their huge Parisienne Marathon Race, half marathon and walk were all happening tomorrow. Crowds, gates, lines, and booths were everywhere! There was another woman walking near me who looked as confused as I…..I asked if she was looking for the yoga event! Indeed! Yune’, a Spanish-French woman. Together we found our way and thanks to her proficiency in French she even got me in the correct line. She admitted, how their wording here is often opposite from what we’d do in the states. There were two lines: One for those without mats and one for those with mats. Oddly we had to stand in the one “with mats”, because we had purchased one! And thank goodness we did. We were one of the first 20 in line! That translates to GREAT yoga spots on the lawn.
Ryan Leier was funny, flexible – in more than just body, he really let the crowd dance a little, go off course. He’s Canadian so the class was in English, yay me!
There I was on the lawn, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower with maybe a 1000 people. Surreal is all I can say, plus a new friend! As the class progressed so did the weather. It shifted from dark ominous clouds and wind, to a dabbling of rain, giving way to sunshine and cumulus smiles.
He chose incredible music touching on every genre out there from Biggy and Tupac to Stevie Nicks, a classic French song, John Lennon and Willie Nelson (this year’s theme for Parisienne19 was Country Western, hahahaha). There was also an amazing chanting piece saved for shevasana.
The energy was palpable. Ryan started the class by sharing a rich poem from an American Indian. I must find it! It definitely was a piece of the clay, shall I say, that molded this masterpiece of humanity.
As Stevie Nicks began belting out Landslide, the cumulus clouds drifted in, and the sun painted the Eiffel Tower gold. The earth did its own back bend, and its heart spilled wide open, and in that moment, so did mine. Tears flowed as our legs lifted to the sky, And her verses entered me……“now I’ve been afraid of changes…”, “climbed a mountain and I turned around”, “oh mirror in the sky what is love?”, “can I handle the seasons of my life?” “time makes you older, even children get older and I’m getting older too”.
The landslide definitely brought me down.
Ryan spoke of living our best lives. All I can say – right here, right now, best life! Near the close of class he chose
“Oh my love”, by John Lennon.
“Oh my love for the first time in my life
My eyes are wide open
Oh my lover for the first time in my life
My eyes can see
I see the wind, oh I see the trees
Everything is clear in my heart
I see the clouds, oh I see the sky
Everything is clear in our world
Oh my love for the first time in my life
My mind is wide open
Oh my lover for the first time in my life
My mind can feel
I feel the sorrow, oh I feel the dreams
Everything is clear in my heart
I feel life, oh I feel love
Everything is clear in our world”
Oh my love, how I honor me today, my place in the world, and all who love me.
When such clarity seeps into the crevasses of our soul, hold it close. As we all know, it evaporates all too quickly. Whenever you or I are in need, know we hold it for each other, AND, it’s up there, in the clouds, we just need to allow to reign on down.
Welcome to Wonder 