‘I want the fairytale…

‘Impossible’…came the reply from a lovestruck but cynical Richard Gere in the greatest eighties flick ‘Pretty Woman’. And of course we all know that indeed he saw the error of his ways and so went about rectifying previous statement. Cue shortly thereafter a man facing his fear, climbing a staircase and presenting his beloved with a bunch of red roses…

There’s reality and reality. I like to think that it comes down to perspective.  We are taught growing up to dream big and to believe in ourselves. But what if somewhere along the way we stop doing both of these things? I knew from the moment I stepped inside my first dance class for example that it felt like home. Before too long I was practicing my pirouettes on the balcony of my first share house. Fairytales do take faith and, like good theatre, a suspension of disbelief.  My favourite teacher reminded me before she left the sunny shores of Sydney to ‘never lose my drive’. And her words still stay with me to this day. We are the drivers of our lives. Sometimes we let go of the wheel, but hopefully something or someone brings us back home.

For me it’s many things. I love the fact that we get a clean slate with each sunrise. I love that listening to a piece of music can bring me to tears. No matter how many times I hear ‘The Shipping Song’ by Nick Cave, it always melts me. And I love that I can get paid to do what I love…yoga is all of those things. A beautiful piece of music in the background combined with a pose that will shift your perspective and maybe change your life. And fortunately, although at times I feel the opposite to be true, my life has been turned upside down.

This week began with a reminder of the niyama of swadyaya or self study. The more I look sometimes, the more confronting the truth can be. But the weird thing is, the more you trust, the more magic will happen. I’m writing this as a pertinent reminder to myself at the moment.

We are the princes and princesses in our own fairytales, but sometimes trusting in this can feel like coming face to face with the big bad wolf. Let go and dive in…prepare to be dazzled by your dreams rather than disgruntled.