Allow me to share with you some thoughts as Pål and I are preparing to leave for Norway for the month of June. I assure you that Scott’s and Amundsen’s race to the South Pole 110 years ago was a mere walk in the park compared to our migration.
First, the paperwork, proving that we have been twice vaccinated and tested negative in Belgium. Then filling in the forms for the German controls testing again in Kiel ahead of our arrival in Sweden and Norway, and then the documents proving that we are married and Pål didn’t just pick me up on the ferry, insurance papers proving that we have a cottage in Norway, a letter from our daughter allowing us to quarantine with them just in case. Just like Amundsen, we bring dogs, requiring passports and veterinary stamps. They do not make this operation any smoother.
However, I’m sure it will be worth the effort. When you and I reconnect again through Yogashraddha in July, by zoom or in person, I will be more like a happy troll, after weeks by the fjord. I’m bringing my mat and a strap. I’ll be reading, drawing and writing stuff, hopefully with a 14-month baby grandson on my lap. I’ll be thinking of you as you roll out your mat, if only for a quarter of an hour, daily.
Don’t forget to lie down at the end. Let the rest, Savasana, create an imprint of your practice, which will otherwise be ephemeral. Yoga is not wellness, in itself such a silly word. A disciplined and focused practice may bring a greater sense of self-confidence through increased physical strength, balance and agility.
This may open your mind to an inward journey of self-knowledge and clarity, through which a blissful sense of serenity may arise. It will make you better at bouncing back from challenging situations. In theory. The key is to keep it up, creating a habit, rather than use your yoga practice as an occasional dip in the wellness pool.
Looking forward to seeing you again,
Emily