From Winter to Spring

During the year of 2020, we were all asked to rest, to reset and to take on the sense of wintering (getting dormant, quiet and still) for an entire year!  While winter seems dull and bleak, so much is often happening below the surface.  This quote from Wintering by Katherine May (a great, easy read) perhaps says it all, “We have seasons when we flourish and seasons when the leaves fall from us, revealing our bare bones.  Given time, they grow again.”  In winter, our leaves have fallen, our bare bones have been revealed and we wonder what next? Beneath our bare bones lies the answer.  The earth from above seems as though all life is gone from our gardens and flower beds.  However, the roots deep below are taking in nourishment becoming something new and waiting for the right time.  In the time of spring all the energy that was conserved and reserved pushes that growth out of the soil and into sunlight and fresh air. For us, it is the same.

As we emerge from our 2020 wintering, we begin to burst forth into the sunlight and fresh air.  But what growth has happened beneath our surfaces?  For me, it was a time to get to know who I really am as the mother of my children, the owner of Greenville Yoga, a time of clarity for my hopes and dreams and the legacy I hope to leave behind.  For others it was time to percolate on this precious human life and what they wish to do that will bring joy and a full heart.  For many in my circles, I have seen a clarity come; a decisiveness of who they are, who they are not.  Clear boundaries are being set.  Relationships with themselves and others are being healed.  There is a reason therapists are overbooked right now- in our wintering we saw our own shit and we asked ourselves, “So now what?”

This is where yoga comes in!  When we are seeking, it is often difficult to unearth what is needed and necessary. The yoga practice invites us in.  It is sneaky- we contort our bodies into shapes, we breathe and move, and we get still and quiet.  In that quiet, wide open space we can listen in and know what is next.  Several of our teachers are heeding this call.  Our sweet Lynn has decided to grow her own yoga from her home leading private and small group sessions.  This is her new calling.  Our dear Lene is heeding the call to return to family and loved ones in Germany.  (We will miss these ladies terribly.) And our wild, wonderful Kimmie has taken on a coordinator role at Community Tap and is leaning into her new call. (She isn’t leaving us, just taking Sundays off to be with her loving husband.) The spring invites us to emerge replenished, strong roots to withstand the spring winds of change.  On top of our teachers, our students have done some powerful winter dreaming.  One deep seed is bursting through the surface this season and I am honored to share their story with you below.  What did your wintering show you?  Did you slow down enough to listen?  Is there something more calling you?  If you missed the quiet whispers of winter, take a breath, move your body, get still and listen in.  We will be here for you whether it’s your season of winter (time to listen) or if you are ready for spring (time to emerge). You deserve this. Welcome to Greenville Yoga.

With love ~ Liz

Bringing Dreams to Life: Nancy & Ron

This story begins further back than I even know, but in 2005 I met Reverend Nancy Neal.  I had just moved to Greenville and was leading an open house at Stone Academy as a teacher.  I was super nervous as I know I am not the norm for a 4th grade teacher.  In walked Nancy and her daughter looking just like they stepped out of a poster for California.  They immediately put me at ease and made me feel at home.  Nancy and I continued to talk and stay connected over the years through community events, friends, and healing work.  There is more to this story, but for this newsletter the magic begins here…

Nancy’s story: It had to be 30 years ago.  I lived in Dallas and knew I wanted to try yoga.  I don’t know how or why, but I ended up in Denton, Texas and it felt important.  I enjoyed the yoga, but eventually left and joined the Peace Corp.  When I moved to Greenville there was no yoga.  So, I found three friends and a teacher (Bruce Cable) to teach in our living room.  Bruce gave us all line drawings of yoga for beginners and I’ve done that every day ever since.  I continued and received my teacher training with Karen Noonan of Yoganize in Greer, taught yoga at Indigo Flow and Art and slowly became a regular at Greenville Yoga.

Ron’s story: Yoga saved me.  I lived in Michigan and traveled for work.  I had back problems and knew I needed something.  I went to a chiropractor and it helped.  My late wife asked me to join her for her Saturday morning yoga.  After three months of Saturday yoga, all of my back pain was gone.  My traveling stayed the same, but my pain was completely eliminated.  When we moved to Greenville, my wife attended yoga at St. Francis as part of their integrative oncology program and Caroline was the teacher.  One day years after, I was driving down the road and saw Greenville Yoga.  I walked into the 9am class on Saturday and there was Caroline!  I loved her classes as I was familiar with the routine and she gave me a workout for every part of my body.

Here's where the story gets good:  For several years Nancy and Ron ended up attending Caroline’s class in the evenings and Saturday mornings.  They often put their mats next to each other and would exchange pleasantries.  In 2015 they ended up connecting at our Anniversary Party.  Ron’s first question to Nancy was did she ever have lucid dreams?  He didn’t know she leads dream groups twice per week where dedicated groups show up just to talk about their dreams!  Ever since they have been joined at the hip and as they said, “there is something so natural here.”  

Independent of one another (before Caroline’s magic) they both had experienced retreat life and the gift of silent retreats. Together over this past year, they have put their energy and their dreams to work.  Both had a shared vision of creating a sanctuary for people to come, be in nature and heal.  Their dream brought to life is Dawn Retreat Center, a non-profit with over 100 acres of land near Jones Gap.  Their intention is to create community while giving people time to be in nature and access that small still voice within. As Ron and Nancy said (taking turns to speak), “I always knew there was more.  I was searching.  Yoga was the doorway to contemplative practices.  Using silence as a practice- after the first 72 hours I thought I would lose my mind.  And I did- my mind popped open!  After experiencing this silence regularly, we wanted to share it with other people.”  If you are searching, you know there’s more; you may want to check out Nancy and Ron’s dream.  Their first retreat is May 1st and I will definitely see you there.

More about Dawn:

• Vision: to inspire a community of people to find that still, small voice within, creating inner peace and harmony with all living things.

• Mission: to provide a sanctuary for stillness and peace.

• Web: https://www.dawnretreatcenter.org

• Instagram: @dawn_retreat_center

• May 1st is a free inaugural event, a Mini Retreat/Walk in Nature from 1-4:30 pm. Pre-register at website for directions.

(Side note- This is not the first couple that has found their way together after taking Caroline’s class.  She is magic in so many ways! Who knew?)