What the Shala represents
For me, the space of the Shala is a sacred refuge - a place free from anxiety and doubt. It's where I feel safe to return to myself, to breathe, and to remember my inner steadiness. It's where I can quiet the noise, and feel held in a sense of calm and clarity.
(Maybe that’s why I hesitate to fully embrace the idea of teaching or guiding asana classes myself because I’m still in the process of dissolving the anxiety within me, along with the uncertainties I carry about my own capabilities and skills.)
What makes Shala meaningful isn’t the level of expertise or any outward expression - it’s the internal stillness it invites and the sacredness it holds. It’s in the feeling of being sealed inside a kind of vacuum - where nothing disruptive or distracting can penetrate.
Yes, Shala cultivates equanimity. It holds you gently, preserving you in your own goodness. In that state, you become like a spaceship, able to move freely between worlds, untouched by gravity, open to the unseen.
Yesterday, I tied three golden balloons to our mailbox to add a little festivity. As someone once said, sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is simply have fun. You only saw one - two had been carried away by the wind. But in my mind, those three balloons represented three pillars that have become more and more central to me as I’ve deepened my Yoga practice:
Dharma, Sadhana, Sangha.
These are no longer abstract concepts for me. They’ve started to root themselves deeply in me. Sadhana, in particular, has shown me how it can transcend the structure of dharma. While dharma guides us to fulfill our duties, sadhana asks us to look inward - to transform, to strive for spiritual liberation.
And Sangha - this shared path, reminds me that we never journey alone.
Support is love in action, and love is the spirit behind true support.
A note from a dear student and TT graduate of The Shala Anya