Writing With Abandon

Last night, my yoga studio celebrated its 2-year anniversary with a special class followed by “libations” on the patio.

It felt like I was celebrating a year at the studio, but in fact, it’s only been since early February that I first showed up one Sunday morning and Susie told me, “Welcome back to yoga and to your body.” I never turned back.

I’ve been practicing yoga since at least my college years, when I tried out a couple of local studios on the Upper West Side, a hatha and vinyasa practice, learning the basics. I went a couple of times in Madrid, and then picked it up again when I started teaching. When I lived on the Upper East Side, I found a studio and a teacher I loved, and would go every Monday night. Then the pandemic happened. I tried some of the Zoom classes the instructor offered, but eventually fell off of them. I missed the in-person component.

When I moved to Miami, I tried a couple of studios, but they were all a trek to get to from where I was living, or were hot yoga, which isn’t my thing, and all had a very “too cool” vibe. Not like the neighborhood studios I loved from New York.

Last summer, after moving to Coral Gables, I discovered a smaller studio, Suva Yoga, within walking distance from my apartment. My car accident on Labor Day kept me from most physical activity for a few months while I recovered with massage therapy, so I wasn’t able to try it. Then, in February, I finally signed up for a 9am class.

And I’m so glad that I did.

Susie has created something so special at her studio. It’s a true community. Women and men of all ages and backgrounds, always welcomed with open arms. Susie doesn’t take herself or the classes too seriously, and at the same time is one of the most profound yoga instructors I’ve ever had. I always look forward to her classes, and know I will leave them a bit calmer, wiser, and stronger than I came.

Last night, she told us, was because of all of us. One student spoke up to say, “Susie, this is for you.”

There was a concert violinist, yes, and she was extremely talented, but this wasn’t anything like the first class with violin that I wrote about in March.

That class was about the violin.

This class was about the studio, Susie, and all of us.

We faced each other, wonky mirror images as we flowed through our practice. Tightly packed in, we put our arms on each other’s shoulders during tree pose — the stablest I’ve ever felt. We swayed, but stayed. We smiled.

The violin music accompanied us. Sometimes I forgot she was even playing live! It was seamless.

Afterward, we gathered on the back patio for a toast. We shared champagne and small bites. We talked, introduced ourselves to those we’d seen in classes but never gotten to speak to. We shared our names. We shared our stories. I was surprised to find out many were not originally from Miami, like me.

Susie floated around, like a bride at a wedding, hardly able to speak to everyone. That’s okay, though. I’ll see her Sunday, like always. 🥰

Thank you, Susie, for opening your studio and your heart to all of us.