“Love and belonging are irreducible needs of all women, men, and children. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong” -Brene Brown…of course.
Here we are…smack dap in the middle of summer, a season of gathering and connecting!
For over a week now, I’ve been trying to write about connection & belonging. With many false starts, all of my words fail to convey the essence I long to impart.
Why can’t I box up a feeling and send it to you?
Why can’t I capture the most profound sense of connection in a mason jar and leave it on your doorstep? A gift from my heart to yours?
Words are limited…always. They fall short of expressing feelings like joy and sorrow, like connection & belonging.
Woven into the fabric of belonging & connection are love, trust, and safety. There are also threads of peace and ease. A sense of place. A feeling of home.
We all need connection & belonging to thrive. Maslow knew it. Brene knows it. And now a bajillion studies prove this to be true…including research on the happiest, longest-lived people in the world’s Blue Zones.
These two intertwined values are guiding principles in my life. They are core values in my parenting and partnering. And they are central to all that I offer the world. Connection and Belonging are the reason I throw back the covers each morning and lean in.
Creating community and connection on retreat or in a yoga class is far more important to me than teaching a perfectly aligned triangle pose or building core strength.
In a world that has become increasingly disconnected, more than anything else, I want people to feel seen, heard, and welcome.
My passion lies in creating spaces where people feel at home. Home within themselves where self-exploration can arise. And at home in a community that comes together, shares an experience, and takes one small step toward personal growth and evolution.
Yoga has become a home for me. Almost daily, I unroll my mat, take a seat, close my eyes, and inhale deeply.
First, I connect to myself, remembering all of the precious parts of me.
What follows is a remembrance of my place amongst all living things. A sense of belonging to something greater than myself. A connection so powerful that an indescribable peace washes over me…if only for a moment.
On retreat, with days outside of normal life, this experience is amplified. Shared movement, breathing, laughter, and restoration all help us let our guard down, the heavy armor we think we need in this world. It is here that love and belonging are born.
Some attribute the magic they feel on retreat to the place the retreat is held. Others have told me they believe I create the magic. Neither is true.
The magic is created by the collective, each of us showing up authentically and allowing others to do the same.
There are a million places to feel a connection.
So, where do you go to connect with yourself?
And where do you feel a sense of belonging with others?
I’d love to know. So, send me a message and fill me in.
And of course, I’d love for you to join me for yoga whether in-person, online, or on retreat.
Alright, my friend, may your summer be full of love and connection. Lean into those sweet moments. Make memories to feed your soul through the colder, darker months of the year.
Love, Tener
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