Yesterday I took Marta McCormick’s Level 3 class at CorePower Yoga‘s Grant St. location.
This was my first time going to a Level 3 class at CorePower and, let me tell you, it kicked my asana. The heat, combined with the fast-paced vinyasa and the advanced yoga poses, challenged me deeply. No sooner would I wipe the sweat from my face than it would reappear again in full force. Familiar poses intensified and required my fullest attention. In this practice, I was working for it!
In a yoga class this intense, it’s easy for the teacher to totter off center. The teacher has so much to focus on: breathing through the heat, protecting ambitious students from injury, challenging those ready to go deeper. But, Marta was rock solid. In fact, not only was she focused and attentive, she was full of grace. The poise in her voice encouraged us to follow her lead – to breathe fully and to move steadily, even in the face of a challenge.
With a smile and a soothing voice, Marta showed us how to practice grace under fire. Her teaching reminded me that, even in the most intense moments on your mat, there is always space to breathe, to smile, and to enjoy.
If you’ve taken class with Marta, share a comment on her greatness!
How do you practice grace under fire?
