I woke up today with a full schedule ahead of me: teaching yoga at 9am, private client at 11:30, spa shift with 2 clients at 3pm. The past several weeks have been relatively slow since people travel a lot in the summer and have plenty of outdoor activities to choose from instead of getting a massage. A part of me was beginning to worry about how/where the paychecks would come from now that I work for myself and don’t have the “day job crutch” to fall back on. So all in all I’m feeling pretty grateful today. The sun is shining, it’s unbearably hot, I’ve got my table in the backseat, and I’m massaging and teaching all over central Jersey!
Right now I’m enjoying a little break in the day while blogging from the spa where I work part time called Onsen for All. It’s an awesome space that’s inspired by Japanese hot springs. The owners converted an old historic home in the town of Kingston, NJ into this amazing wellness center complete with hot soaking tubs, sauna, massage and skincare treatment rooms, and a yoga studio. I feel really grateful that this is the place I get to come to work! Even on a day when I have a full plate, I’m reminded as soon as I hear the soothing music in the halls that there are FAR worse places to earn a living! I’m really blessed to be able to make a living doing something I love. Today I’m grateful, tomorrow I’ll probably be scared about the uncertainty of it all. Watch out!
I’ve been talking a lot lately with people about how we choose our careers (or rather how they choose us). I always credit 2 old friends who I haven’t spoken with in years for inspiring me to get into massage. The first, named Donna, was the first professional massage therapist I’d ever met. We met while I was living in South Florida one summer in the mid 90’s. I observed her carefree, easygoing life as an MT and really felt drawn to the profession. It seemed like a really noble job to devote your life to helping others relieve their chronic pain while at the same time encouraging them to relax. Fast forward five years later, and I was working in marketing, was a recent college graduate, and was mostly happy with my job at the time. I came across another friend who was doing a yoga teacher training program and was a very insightful guy. We’ve since lost touch over the years, but he asked me a question that has profoundly changed the direction of my life. He asked, “If there was one thing you could do, and you knew you wouldn’t fail, what would it be?” My almost reflexive response was, “I’d go back to school and become a massage therapist.” He responded, “Well…what’s stopping you?” I knew then and there that I had to continue this journey to fulfill the role I was meant to fill in this life. I’m happy with the career I’ve chosen (or that’s chosen me) and am grateful to the friends that helped point me in the right direction toward massage therapy (and eventually yoga).
There’s a word used in the practice of yoga (dharma) that means the fulfillment of one’s purpose. We all have our own dharma and I believe that we usually feel most secure and “on the right track” when our actions are aligned with that greater purpose. I’m wondering if anyone else out there has had a similar experience where a career has “found them”. Are there others out there that feel wholeheartedly that they are living their dharma? Are some of you folks out there in cyberland unsure what your dharma really is? Do you sense your dharma is different from your current profession but are scared to embrace it for fear of failure? I’d love to hear from other yogis (or non-yogis alike!) about the topic.
Thanks to everyone reading the blog. Your feedback through Facebook and on this site has been terrific! I’m grateful for all of you too!
Just Be Now 