yoga excursion

Took a class last night at the Sewannee Community Center with about ten others from the writers' conference (only women from the conference came). But the teacher was a guy and he was very experienced -- had taught for forty years, and he had the confidence to push the class, but many thought he pushed too hard, and I agree.

Perhaps he was just thrilled to have a roomful of new students (some quite advanced), but he had us in positions like head stand, and most teachers would never go there with a class full of new students.

He instructed us to keep our eyes shut for most postures to allow us to focus inward, and I like that, but he would swing by and assist us, and he pushed the woman next to me too far, and she was upset (rightly so, and she's a yoga instructor).

Yoga is about leaving your ego at the door, but often the biggest ego in the room is the instructor. Yoga has taught me humility, but I still struggle with that because I often think I'm hot shit, the smartest guy in the room.

Even here at Sewannee where virtually everyone has an advanced degree in English, I sometimes feel superior. I work harder than most and I think I know more about the real world. I believe I have more courage to write truth.

Since I have no life outside of my writing at the moment, I probably do work harder than most, but how could I possible know what these people have experienced? How could I know anything about their truths or their ability to capture it in words?

It's clear I have much still to learn.