As we edge closer to the end of 2024, there is much to reflect upon. The world is in a deep state of change with the upheavals of war, political angst, and an extremely divided nation. In addition, I have lost dear friends and teachers like Nancy Gilgoff, whom I have known since I was 16 and looked up to as a teacher, dear friend, and pioneer of Ashtanga in the West. Rolf Naujokat was a well-known and well-loved Ashtanga teacher and practitioner who lived and taught in Goa, India, for decades. Pattabhi Jois’s grandson Sharath, whom I have known since he was 6 when I met him on my first trip to Mysore in 1977 and watched him grow into a powerful figurehead who inspired thousands of his students worldwide.
These wonderful souls shaped our hearts and will live on in our memories, though the absence of their physical presence is still felt profoundly. Amidst all those tragic feelings, we must dig deep to find peace in our souls and our purpose in this world. We may each be small beacons of hope and light. A simple smile to a stranger, an unconditional act of spontaneous kindness, or other expressions of humanity’s good facets will help brighten the world and our hearts.
It’s important to count all the things we have to be grateful for and understand that we can commemorate the lost friends and family by honoring their teachings and spreading their impact through our actions, expressing the best qualities of those we have lost.
I am profoundly grateful to all of you for the support, kindness, and continuing joy that you bring into the classes I have had the honor to teach around the globe. I am sending you MUCH LOVE for the coming change of season!
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