Letter to My Dearest alleyCat
I’d taken a handful of yoga classes before, but this one was different. I was feeling something very different in this class. How peculiar. I didn’t know doing yoga could feel like this.
My interpretation of the alignment cues in past yoga classes led me toward rigidity. I would be stiff, working hard to engage the proper muscles while stretching as far as possible. Jaw tight, teeth clenched. I was trying hard to “do it right”. I would experience relaxation at the end of those classes as an after-effect of physical exertion, but mostly because I was done with all the efforting. What relief!
From the beginning of THIS class (my first one at alleyCat 20 years ago), as Kathleen shared an exploration of a Yoga Sutra, to the end of savasana, I was carried along by her soothing voice and calm demeanor. Her serene voice reminded me to breathe seemingly every time my mind drifted away. It was magical. How did she do that?
This experience wasn’t just exercise, yet my ability to cultivate this sense of deep peace was tied to moving my body in these patterns. I was able to tap into something far more profound. I didn’t know what to call it at the time, but now I know I experienced Presence.
As time went on, I began to notice that all of my teachers at alleyCat: Kathleen, Sienna, Ken, and Olivia, each teaching in their own way, became a conduit of Presence for me. When I spent a summer away and frequented other yoga studios in my new locale, I realized this is unique and very special. I enjoyed my other yoga classes, but they lacked that secret sauce. alleyCat oozed presence.
Cultivating this skill for holding presence was so transformative that soon I wanted to be a yoga teacher to deepen my understanding of the practice. Ken helped me find my guru Sri Dharma Mittra. After training, I began teaching at alleyCat.
I also assisted Susan with graphic design and administrative tasks for the studio. While I was formatting her writings on yoga philosophy for her Teacher Training manual a few years ago, I was blown away by the depth of understanding she brings to her teaching. She has a knack for simplifying and making these concepts relatable to everyday experiences. It seems so effortless for her that I didn’t really notice before how deep the roots of those teachings are. She makes them digestible; she’s like the digestive enzymes for yoga philosophy. : )
I realize now a theme that runs through alleyCat teachers. The people who have taught here are deep thinkers. I am so grateful to the alleyCat teachers, the ones who taught me, and the colleagues who loved to discuss and process how to bring these teachings to life. This Yoga thing, it’s not just something we do because it’s trendy or good for us, but because it is a way to make meaning out of life. Being present changes things: it changes your perception, it changes you (or rather brings you back to who you are), and it changes the choices you make.
Over the years of teaching, I began to appreciate that some students could easily receive the teachings. Often these were the regulars, the ones who prioritized and committed to their practice, but not always. Sometimes someone new to the studio would walk in and open up. Having open students in class amplified the teachings. The intentions created in the opening Dharma talk would take on a density that was palpable during the poses. This current, this flow would carry us through our physical practice and sweep us into a deep, cathartic savasana.
This ability to be receptive, open, vulnerable, and real is contagious. Not everyone walks in the door as an open book. Some of us are timid or reserved. It takes us a little while to assess the situation and warm up. But don’t discount us; we are courageous despite the trepidation. We showed up, right?! Walking into the welcoming alleyCat community feels safe. Several generous souls lead by example how to lay down pretenses and show up as their honest, authentic selves. We reserved folk begin to thaw, buoyed by the camaraderie, and build our trust. Trust in the group, trust in ourselves, and trust in the process. It is an amazing transformation to behold. I’ve felt it in myself and witnessed it happen to many others.
alleyCat is the amazing community it is because of all of these people: studio directors, teachers, and students. It took all of us showing up, shining our hearts and souls. You are reading this now because you were an integral part of this community. We all made it amazing. You made it amazing.
This community has carried forth through some very challenging times, and now it is time for it to transform as well. I now look at alleyCat as an incubator or training facility. We have practiced the skill of presence, and now it is time for each of us to take it out into the world and spread it around, a positive pandemic, if you will.
I am grateful for the opportunity to take part in this initiatory process, for being held within this supportive community as I experience my own unfolding and opening, and for being allowed access to support others’ transformation. To say that alleyCat has changed my life is not an exaggeration. I’d like to extend my deepest thanks to you, alleyCat community members, for touching my soul and being open-hearted and receptive to being touched as well. Thank you for being a collaborator on this journey of self-realization.
I love you alleyCat!
xo luna
About The Author
Luna Langer, DYT 200
Luna believes in the power of yoga to transform the chaos of a hectic, modern life into an experience filled with deep meaning, connection, and learning. She uses the physical posture practice to cultivate awareness and focus, developmental and emotional strength, and flexibility, with the ultimate goal of deepening our connection with our inner wisdom.