Wow, within a week (plus a few days) a lot has happened here on Mallorca.  I have moved into my own flat overlooking Cala Major and feel very grounded in the space.  I have begun my first week of teaching regular classes at YogaYou and feel very welcomed and well received by the staff and students.  The staff are new but there are many students from last year which was great to re-connect and get back the practice!

The studio itself is a very interesting place to teach.  It is a beautiful and big space, but is is made of all concrete and steel and feels a bit cold (energetically) and lifeless.  I have felt this a few times in the space and hope to invite some plants, more wood (the floor has a wood covering) and prana into the studio so that it starts to feel a bit more lively.  Downstairs from the studio is a very nice boutique from YogaYou and the whole environment is a new experience for me to be in as there is a lot of shopping for expensive clothes and high priced Mala’s before and after class.  It is actually helping me to realize that I have enough of everything I need!  In fact, during my 2 days in San Francisco this year, I shipped 2 boxes of stuff to Mallorca anticipating the desire to have different clothes and more stuff.  I did need the FindBalance DVD’s I sent as I had sold out already, but while unpacking another hat, 4 more shirts, pants and shorts….I was thinking to myself; “what were you thinking sending all this stuff?!?!”  For now, I look forward to leaving presents with people when I leave in a few months!

The Spanish lifestyle is VERY different then how I have been living lately and there are a few ‘growing pains’ in regards to my search for fresh vegetables, non-techno dance music, smoke free areas and environmental consciousness.  Fortunately, I have found a few great markets to feed me Biologically (what they call ‘organic’ in other parts of the world) and I have my iPod for dancing…. I hope to organize a dance jam at the yoga school soon where I can make a World Beat Party!  Meanwhile, I’m dancing at my flat a la Tom Cruise in Risky Business!  As for the smoke free, this is a real problem as I love to go out and enjoy a glass of Rosado, live music and the company of my friends but I can only handle about 30 minutes.  Almost everyone here smokes… and at the same time.  Other countries in Europe have made steps to stop smoking in public places which I so appreciate, but it hasn’t hit here yet…. meanwhile, it’s out to the street for air and lots of washing my hair and clothes.  yuck.

However, the most personally challenging area is around the consumption of plastic.  Water bottles and shopping bags are EVERYWHERE and no one really seems to give a shit about them.  The water from the taps is not potable (drinkable) so there is a need to buy plastic water bottles all the time.  I bought a Brita filter for my home and and filtering as much as I can and still it doesn’t seem like enough water for me to drink!  Then on the beaches, they sell hundreds of little bottles and put them in plastic bags and they go straight into the trash, or the sand or the sea!  There seems to be very little awareness of the problems with plastic water bottles and the answer of recycling is not going make much of an impact where there aren’t really many recycling cans or intentions for people.  Yes, it’s a bit preachy but it hurts me to see that there is such little awareness.  When you throw something ‘away’… where the hell is ‘away’?!?!?!?!

OK, so back to my life

I have a beautiful little porch that I awake in the morning and do my morning waking things and several times have enjoyed several hours of personal practice there.  It is sweet to have that time and space.  However I have felt tired recently and been enjoying sleeping in and having mini-practices.  I made a commitment to the AcroYogis to add pushups and v-ups in my yoga practice and there have been a few days where I sit on my toes, do my hand and feet work and then the pushups and v-ups and that’s my practice.  This weekend felt great though as I had 3 days of deep long practice…it’s like a homecoming to my body.  I have also been enjoying some great Acro flying sessions and am starting a free weekly Acro Jam on Cala Major on Friday afternoons before my class.  Yesterday, I was taken to a magical sea-side place (not really a beach b/c it was all big rocks) and swam and flew and ate and played backgammon by the sea that was really really sweet.

I have been busy organzing the next 4 months with workshops and events around Europe and looking beyond to 2009, which is already pretty full and posted on my schedule page.  I feel the need to step up my attention to marketing the Morocco retreat and Teacher training and intend to focus time this week for that.  I also have a big poster board here at the apartment with my organizational notes for the teacher training manual.  It is a big undertaking and I want it to reflect a very deep and well rounded path of yoga.  Lots of work to do!!

Now, the neighbors downstairs are playing some terrible 90′s Spanish pop music… so I guess I’ll take a glass of vino to my porch and learn to love it Until next time… D