Practicing Modification
Adjustment in Service of a Higher Truth
Hello Dear One,
Thank you for coming to Practice* today. It’s so lovely to be with you again.
A yoga teacher I know often uses the phrase, “modification is a sign of wisdom,” in her classes. It’s a sentiment I’ve always appreciated, but have really come to understand in the past year — even more-so in the past month. For years, I stretched and pushed myself into postures that were beyond my body’s truth. When I finally did give myself help — blocks under my hands or a strap around my feet — I found my body more open, aligned and calm than when I had pushed it to the edge.
We make changes in the way we move in order to find alignment. That alignment can be physical, spiritual or political. The change comes when we acknowledge the truth of a situation — in our bodies or in the world — is out of alignment. When we modify, we to move closer to our truth.
Last month, on the day before I released this experiment into the ether, Yanyi suggested I look into a publishing platform other than Substack, since I had no intention of making this a paid newsletter in the near future. “That’s a great suggestion,” I said, “but I’ve already put all the work in to building this Substack page and I’m too tired to do it all again right away.”
You may or may not have noticed that I didn’t sent this month’s Practice* to you through Substack. That is because modification is often required, regardless of what is most convenient. The day after I released Practice*, I learned of some disappointing news relating to the way Substack enables and bankrolls transphobic writers. Substack’s choices bolster the kinds of beliefs that lead to laws like the one that just passed in Arkansas banning affirming medical care for transgender minors. Yanyi wrote deftly about the situation when he left Substack last month, and I encourage you to read what he wrote about it.
Obviously, modification became necessary, and I’m now writing to you from a blog within my own website. Thank you for coming along for the ride.
Modification came up for me twice in the past month. In addition to making changes to my virtual space, I’ve been navigating some intense and inexplicable health issues that have greatly lowered my capacity to do many of the things I thought I could, including this newsletter. So, in honor of modification, I’m keeping things short this month. I invite you to reflect on the spaces in your own life where making a change may afford you some extra ease.
There’s a new offering for you below — a movement class that’s part yoga practice, part theatre workshop, all invitation to get to know yourself a little more.
What I’m Doing —
Moving Image by HK Goldstein: You look up at a periwinkle blue sky smudged with sheer, soft clouds. On the right, as if viewed from the ground, is the exterior of a white farmhouse with horizontal wood siding. A small insect, or maybe a far away bird, somersaults across the sky.
Most of the past month has gone towards nurturing my body and modifying (wink wink) my daily life and practice to work with sudden limited mobility.
I did my physical practice outside for the first time this year. The sky was so blue. I felt like a seed unfurling.
Speaking of seeds, I’ve set out on my first foray into growing my own food. Currently I have a modest buffet of herbs and greens sitting in the light of a south facing window and they’re doing very well!
What I’m Offering —
*NEW* — Movement for Creativity — Saturday April 24th, 2pm-4pm EST, Virtual — What stories do our bodies want to tell? How do we listen to them? Utilizing yoga, meditation, expressive movement and more, this class will explore how emotion lives in our bodies and how we can use what we feel to express ourselves, make art and change the way we move through the world. This workshop is designed for artists, non-artists and those who may fall somewhere in the middle. All bodies, genders and abilities welcome. $30 — Register Here
TRANS* YOGA — First Saturday of the Month at 3pm EST — A 70-minute yoga class for trans and non-binary people of all bodies. Our practice will be rooted in personal physical autonomy and authority. We’ll move through a series of postures and breath work, in order to connect with our inner physical ecosystems, and then end in a decadent, restorative rest. Any or no experience is welcome. Suggested donation $5-$20. We ask our cisgender allies to support us by leaving the space for trans and non-binary folks. Sign up here.
FRIENDLY TAROT — Curious about the cards? Been stuck in an anxiety spiral? Want to know how to approach a sticky situation? Let’s do a reading. I offer 45 and 60-minute tarot readings on a pay-what-you-can scale of $50-$100. Book yours here.
Where I’m Learning —
I’ll be participating in the Ignite Be Well 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training this summer, so get ready for lots of yoga philosophy and reading recommendations from that curriculum. I’m starting with Michelle C. Johnson’s Skill In Action: Radicalizing Yoga for A Just World and plan to read Susanna Barkataki’s Embrace Yoga’s Roots: Courageous Ways To Deepen Your Yoga Practice next.
If you’re new to exploring the intersection of yoga and social justice, I recommend starting with the Yoga is Dead podcast. Tejal Patel, one of the hosts, is a beloved teacher and runs a gorgeous online yoga community.
Thank you, again, for joining me. À bientôt!
— HK