Julianne Rice
Yoga ~ InterPlay ~ Yoga 'n Play

The gift of one on one yoga sessions. Who would have known? The gift that keeps on giving.

Traditionally, the gift of yoga has been shared from individual teacher to individual student. With the rapt attention of each on the attention and intention of the other. An experience of caring. An opportunity for growing.

Each session, a meeting.  A moment leading into others…at once predictable, next a flash of insight. Not like any insight, this one special. Sometimes, one that leaves your jaw dropping and your heart skipping a beat. A special kind of beat. You know, like the tinkling of a tambourine…

A muscle here, a breath there, a gaze of depth and curiousity. That opening that only the mentor could see as the crown jewel that it is. Touching beyond what meets the ordinary eye. Deftly brushing up against the heart and soul of what really matters. Oh my – a gift. Moving through ordinary time, tasting the preciousness of rarefied moments, slowly but surely returning, never quite the same.

Teacher?  Student?  Insight?  Opening?  Ordinary? Sometimes very clearly distinguished, sometimes blending together.

The trust, the commitment, the time, energy and resources all combining together. A type of alchemical process. Creating and re-creating over and over again a fertile soil for transformation – sometimes at the speed of light.

Who would have known?

Deep, deep bows, to that which does.

I am finding that teaching one on one sessions is deeply rewarding. I know for sure that it is for me, I believe it is for those I teach as well. The undivided attention, the unhurried pace, the promise of challenge and acceptance, and the presence of kindness.

Working to improve posture, delving below the surface to explore the cause of imbalances, breathing conscious breaths, tending the mind, visualizing, affirming, resting deeply and meditating. A session of one and a half hours includes many things.

A student makes themselves available for such teaching for a variety of reasons. There can be different reasons yet  there are a few that are quite similar, in fact often the same. When efforts to improve the quality of their life and their physical and mental health begin to not work that well anymore they appear with a very open and willing presence. Very teachable, curious enough to let go and experiment with that which for whatever reason they believe holds a promise for them.

Months into the process, transformation is already visible. Skin glowing, breath breathing easier, muscles relaxing, patience present, smiles surfacing, confidence building. It is such a great gift to be a witness of this. My efforts to help bring a person into the presence of his or her own spiritual strength pays big dividends. I sigh a big sigh of relief and appreciation.

I had a chance to hear an interview with bluegrass singer/songwriter Alison Krauss tonight. She referred to her work as a “celebration of improvisation”. She mentioned the value and attraction of simplicity and truth. Her words inspired me. I began thinking about how much I am enjoying my involvement in a technique of improvisational self-expression, called InterPlay interplay.org

InterPlay, being a love of mine for many years, has recently come back into the foreground of my daily life. A bit difficult to describe in words, I will try…

InterPlay is fun. It is creative, truthful, sometimes simple and sometimes complex. It is entertaining, thought provoking, it connects one to another and it is always improvisational.

A class can look like a group of people coming together to improvisationally play, laugh, talk, move/dance, vocalize/sing, tell stories and hang out in bits of stillness and silence. A facilitator guides, sometimes with more detailed instruction, sometimes with less. There is no skill “level” required in any area. It is wonderful for anyone and everyone.

As I mentioned, hard to describe in words, you may want to take a look at a beautiful explanation developed over many years and some photos on their website: http://www.interplay.org/index.cfm/go/about:home/

The reason I bring InterPlay up is because when Alison Krauss mentioned the “celebration of improvisation”, I felt a spark of familiarity and recognition. I have found a level of delight in the InterPlay practices that tops everything and anything that I have ever done. Delight, a lightness, joy and relief that stem from feeling that I am finding and expressing parts of me that are the REAL truth of who and what I am. A freedom to just be who and how I am and have it be fun, affirming and unpredictable. Always surprises!

I realize that improvisation is something that many may think of as “scary”. As something that is inherently capable of bringing up self-conscious and awkward feelings. On one hand the potential for that is always there, on the other hand, as a safe space is set up by a leader in InterPlay sessions and affirming connection is experienced, it’s not that bad. Not even for the more introverted, sensitive personalities.

What InterPlay calls “forms” assist the people present to find a captivating focus. When focused, most people notice that the self-conscious, awkward feelings decrease, if not totally disappear. A form, for example, might be the instruction to Walk Stop and Run – anywhere you want to and in any way you want to. While you are busy doing that, you forget about being self-conscious. One thing leads to another and levels of freedom are experienced that are unexpected and most welcome.

Like in life, improv has us dance on the sometimes scary edge of “not knowing” and the immanently exciting and nourishing edge of “self discovery”. Perhaps it is in part because of this dance of opposites that these practices can be not only outrageously fun but also indescribably deep and richly soul-satisfying.

Whether I am leading or simply participating, I find the InterPlay practices to be life-enhancing and delightful.

It is very exciting to know that currently InterPlay is growing into a global social movement for peace, health, and freedom as people regain faith in embodied, creative practices and ideas.

Check out this InterPlay video: