Exactly a year ago this time, I was getting ready to participate in the very first Warrior Challenge--a 30 day event that required all participants to take at least 3 Sati classes/week. I remember feeling so excited about this class because I loved the idea of saying positive affirmations out loud during a workout. But I was also intimidated by the huge crowds of people and the amazing STRENGTH and POWER they displayed. My competitive nature wanted to not only keep up, but I wanted to hit every move with CONFIDENCE and be able to say all the right words at the right times. I remember I stood somewhere in the back for the first few intenSati classes. Well, maybe more than a few. I do know that before the 30 days were over, I somehow had managed to make my way towards the front of the class, usually to the right of Patricia Moreno. I can't help but smile during class and I love being able to look at the people next to me, and behind me, and see them smile back:) Doing this practice for 30 days brought back a lot of DISCIPLINE into my life. More importantly, I really valued the sense of community and camaraderie. From the very beginning, I sensed the warmth and COMPASSION that was present. At the beginning of each class, people were hugging each other hello, introducing themselves to someone new, sharing experiences, etc. It felt really genuine, really nice, really engaged. So when the WARRIOR challenge ended, I made a decision to join Equinox so that I could continue taking intenSati.
So much goodness has come out of this past year. On so many levels, in all areas, I began taking on more and more RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY LIFE. My sense of AWARE-ness became heightened and I became better and better at CHOOSE-ing my THOUGHTS, ATTITUDES, ACTIONS. It became clear to me that we are creatures of habit and get easily stuck in a pattern unless we own our thoughts and choose only ones that empower us. I began feeling better on the inside. And my physical body was also transforming. The synergy created between heart, body and mind in this practice is unlike anything I have ever experienced before. I COMMITTED to doing it and began telling anyone and everyone about it! I even brought many people to the gym with me to experience it. One of them was my cousin, Cristina. After one session, she suggested that I should be a Leader with a long list of explanations why. I liked the idea of it. But a negative self-defeating habit called "doubt" kicked in and I dismissed it just as quickly.
Over the next few months, I got better and better and my best kept getting better. I really started to explore the idea of becoming a Leader and liked it more and more. But wondered, if I really had the time to do it with a full plate already as it was. More people were showing up in my life, more circumstances presented themselves that were all pointing to me going for this idea. I realized that little seed of thought that my cousin planted a while ago had blossomed into a full blown DESIRE! My friends and other Sati Leaders were all pushing me to go for it!
Fast forward to today! I just completed the 5 day intensive Leader Training and it feels amazing! I met some of the most amazing women and we shared our stories, our deepest selves. It was beautiful. It was heartful. By the end of the fifth day, we were definitely connected. We all felt an incredible sense of accomplishment. Wow!!! And although new, the friendships we formed our grounded deep within our souls.
And for me, it had been so long since I worked hard for something I really, really, really, really wanted! The training took a lot of COMMITMENT and COURAGE and FOCUS. And now I am READY, WILLING, and ABLE to lead a class! How cool is that!!!! It's so cool because I want to share this with as many people as possible! I want to help people feel better. I want to help them get stronger in every way and to realize their potentials. I want to remind others what I remembered while doing this practice: to ALLOW good things to happen and to BELIEVE that all we need is within us NOW.
