Getting out of bed at 6am with a warm man and pooch snoozing next to you takes a special kind of strength, but sleeping in was not an option today. With heavy lids, I scurried for slippers on the cold wood floor and put a kettle on the stove, noticing dawn’s light spilling through the kitchen window.
Rachel Brathen was in Portland and my snapchat feed informed me she was also (barely) awake and headed to the venue. I arrived at the Crystal Ballroom early, but was greeted with a line around the block-- 100+ yogis strong. A platoon of neon-gypsy-patterned-leggings juxtaposed with the cement colored-sky in a strange irony I could not place. I heard someone behind me comment: “If I don’t get a selfie with Ringo I’m gonna die.” I rolled my eyes, hoping this wasn’t going to be another mainstream ego-parade.
I first became aware of Rachel Brathen about a year ago. I was drawn to the same energy everyone else describes: the unencumbered demeanor and unapologetic resolve to authentically embody her yoga lifestyle. Also, she is simply a beautiful woman performing beautiful asanas--inspiring respect and envy alike. And despite the unfiltered exposure of her life, there remains an enigma in bearing witness to such genuine happiness.
I found myself wondering, “what’s the catch?,” as I rolled out my mat inches away from each neighbor. With criss-crossed legs, I took in the scene: dimmed chandeliers and atmospheric acoustics. Some slowly opened their hips, others popped up into headstand, many swooned over other insta-lebreties present: patrick_beach and carling_nicole, dennisfromsalad and ringo_thegringo. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe away the commotion.
The clapping began as she swept across the room with that giant smile, hands at heart center, bowing in gratitude.
“It’s so early!” She remarked with a grin as she got to the stage, “I can’t believe you guys even came!” Giggles erupted.
We were asked to set an intention as she drew an Angel card. “Joy!,” She gasped gleefully: “It’s the highest energy of all. It's the magical sense that everything is possible. Joy springs from appreciating the gifts within each moment. Joy allows you to attract and create your present and future moments at their highest possible levels.” Then with her instruction, we began to move our bodies.
Rachel’s grounded presence is comforting and contagious, making you feel like a long-lost friend without having exchanged words. She moved us through an invigorating and centering practice--encouraging us to sweat and smile and ‘intentionally’ connect with our neighbors.
She walked through the rows, adjusting some and using her calm voice to guide bodies, hearts, and minds. Despite the animated (and crowded) setting, I was able to connect with my breath and my body on an intensely personal level.
All pretense faded as Rachel taught and Ringo pranced free throughout the crowd, granting kisses to eager fans. At one point he barked excitedly at someone’s down-dog and Rachel commented, “He says you’re doing it exactly right!”
Being in the presence of someone or something you admire can drastically alter your perception of them--sometimes we are disappointed after our favorite singer’s performance or that celebrity we love ends up being an a**hole in person. When there is a discrepancy between the real and perceived, we lose faith.
With Rachel, there is no guise. It seemed like she would be down to get a beer and chat with every-last one of us. It’s refreshing to meet someone so unjaded by their fame and following. All those heart-felt calls for giving thanks and self-acceptance are genuine expressions of her philosophy of life.
This ‘Happiness Tour’ is all about promoting Rachel’s new book, Yoga Girl. Of course I bought it. And I devoured it in 48 hours. You’ll find the same inspirational energy splayed across the page as you encounter in her classes--promoting yogic balance in a relatable, modern-day context.
As the class wound down, maybe it was mandukasana or the vibrations from breathing in-sync with 300+ people, but I found myself crying in savasana. Not uncontrollable sobbing, but the kind where a few cathartic drops stream down your cheeks in the face of connecting with something bigger. That age-old adage resonated in my heart once again: “Have faith, you are exactly where you need to be.”
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