Hill Country, Texas
We're back :)The Kerrville Folk Festival runs 18 days straight, we managed 12 days straight this year - plus 3 at opening weekend.
What a run! I will always be indebted to the masterminds of music lovers - Dalis, Rick, Lee, and all the rest - for starting this beautiful festival and sharing it so freely with the world. For those of you who have not had the pleasure of a true 'Music Festival', imagine everything you do, from sun up to sun down, being performed to a non-stop soundtrack. Every moment of your day - brushing your teeth, showering, walking, talking, ordering lunch - being filled with the melodious sounds of someone's soulful heart and talent. It's a wonderful reprieve from the maddening pace of the socialized world we normally call 'home'.
Two days into the festival this year, or really two days and 18 years into the festival, and I had already become so accustomed to the dulcet tones of the days that I had begun to tune them out as I went about my work and play at Kidsville. So much so that when 9AM came around and I headed over to the theatre for our first adult yoga session I wondered if anyone would be bothered that I didn't bring a CD player and music. As soon as the thought hit me, I raised my hand up and hit myself. How silly. Without even realizing it, as soon as my yoga bag went over my shoulder I instantly fell into my standard class mode that I guide with here in the city.
With each step taking me towards the open air theatre in the camp grounds, I ran through my mental checklist as if it were any other day at home: mats, blankets, incense, lighter, Four Corners book, CDs, player, etc. I had, in a sense, simultaneously fallen so completely in step with my surroundings and equally out of step.
As I laughed at myself for being so goofy (again), I knew that starting a new series of yoga sessions with a whole new group of people while my mind bounced in and out of the present was not the way to go. So I must say I was glad to see that no one had arrived yet, therefore giving me time to quietly set up the mats and take a moment to myself.
After all the extra mats were laid out and ready, there were still no new arrivals; for yoga, at least. Several wandering musicians had stationed themselves in various places along the etched, stone seats under the roof and were practicing a myriad of melodies and chords.
It was just the focal point I needed. With this being the first day of morning yoga offered I knew the attendance was going to be as unpredictable as it could get. I was as prepared for anything as I could be, including no one. And at this point, it was precisely so. So I took the opportunity - children gone, husband busy, friends out, yogis m.i.a. - to find a comfortable Ardha Padmasana, close my eyes and pin point one player, one line of music. All the musicians under the roof that morning were playing guitars, so the sounds, even in different keys, blended so well.
Within seconds, one line in the key of G came swimming out of the others and straight into my ears. The man was picking and strumming the same 4 chords over and over, in a wonderfully repetative manner that struck me as guitaristic chanting.
I took his lead and allowed my mind to finally wonder into a focal point and so began some real yogic work. After an undertermined amount of time, I worked through a few rounds of the full Yogic Breath, then into my Hatha Yoga practice.
No one came to the session that first day. From a selfish point of view, because of the lack of attendants, it worked out to be a beautiful session for me. I didn't have to think about anyone else, but myself. I went through most of my practice with my eyes closed, moving naturally from one pose to the next, holding poses longer, allowing my body to truly talk with me/itself and guide through channels of comfort creating an ever growing symbiotic state within the levels of myself.
With not having to remind people to "breathe", "draw the navel in", "release neck tension" and all the rest, I was completely able to coil in on myself and make amazing headway.
I can not tell you how long my session lasted on that stage, but the musical mantra never stopped and by the time I came out of my restorative meditation followed by a couple Ardha Matsyendrasanas, I was feeling better than I had in at least 3 weeks.
Here's to all the fascinating, eccentric, and above all beautiful people I shared the last two weeks with... and for some, the last 18 years.
Namaste :)
