Is right action finding me?

On the last day of yoga teacher training the beautiful Kim Holland gave a moving oral report on the role of the yoga teacher. This was such a wonderfully emotional day that I tear up just recounting it. Throughout the summer each teacher had the opportunity to speak at length on assigned topics. I was so happy to get it done in the second month! Kim had to take it down to the final day! She spoke to us with her heart wide open on a topic that was so important to hear on this day.

Kim gave each of us a piece of paper and had us write on it a couple of things that I will describe from memory:
1. a short paragraph describing our role as a teacher, a scene with us teaching or an evocative paragraph that encapsulated us as a teacher
2. a statement of intention going forward from here as Vinyasa Yoga teachers
3. a list of actions we would take having finished training

Kim then had us put the paper in an envelope and address it to ourselves telling us that she would mail it in a couple of months. Mine arrived yesterday. I did not open it immediately but pondered the contents. Was I on task from December 7? Was I living the vision I had on that beautiful day? I felt very clear on that day. Clear about why I had chosen to teach yoga. I'll share with you a bit of my writings.

My declaration reads: "I will help others seek spirit through body and breath."

Am I on task? Yes. I am doing this every week! The second weekend of our teacher training I admitted some frustration with my job to my dear friend Natalie. She said "Well, now you can take your yoga to work." As simple as she stated this - I experienced a profound shift at that very moment. I began hatching a plan to take my yoga to work. And I have followed through. I am teaching two Vinyasa classes a week at work. I had 18 people in class today! I have taken my yoga to work and found a great group of people who wanted to receive what I had to offer! Thanks Nat! Am I helping them seek spirit? Sure! You define spirit for yourself. They are certainly a spirited group.

I read through the listing of actions items I wrote that day. I have started them all in some way or another and I remembered each item. I am on task.

It's nice to look back on a day when your thinking was clear. It's good to observe that clear days happen - and we should write on those days.

At the bottom of the paper that Kim handed us that day was the following quote she printed for us:

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
So watch your thoughts and its ways with care.
And let it spring from love born out of concern for all beings.
--Buddha