I'm Every Woman

The teacher I've been primarily working with since I started practicing Ashtanga started a new job, so he isn't often at the studio anymore. One of my favorite classes is led primary, which is where the teacher counts in Sanskrit and moves through the series. It used to be on Saturday mornings, but this morning the website said "Group Practice" instead of "Led Primary." I haven't been in a couple of weeks, so I decided to go anyway.

Lucky for me, there were two other women who decided to show as well, despite the change in class format. As it worked out, we just started our practice together (complete with chant beautifully led by one of the other Ashtangis) and then moved at our own pace.

The other two women who were there are really good at Ashtanga. I know, I know, it's not supposed to be about that, but they are, and it was hard for me not to feel kinda lame when I couldn't do many of the poses that they did.

Just when I was starting to get a little down on myself, Whitney self-selected on the internal jukebox and reminded me I'm not only as good as the other women, I am them:

'Cause I'm every woman (Every woman)
It's all in me
It's all in me
Yeah

I'm every woman
It's all in me

Of course, she was singing about what she could bring to a man, but I had a Whitney-related realization on that front today too. I was singing another of the songs I heard yesterday, The Greatest Love of All, and recognizing anew that part of what's so great about finding self-love is having it to give to someone else...