pause

the mats are purple, the

light is dimmed, candles

line the room, my space

has a number

eighteen, the auspicious

jewish number, maybe

it is a sign

the class is called zen

or glow or something

that says

settle in, fall in, breathe, rest

i am still finding my way in

we start with some

stretches, some cats

some cows, upward

dogs, downwards

ones too

the music is jazzy

and i like the vibe

in this dark womb

space

the woman in front

of me has a t-shirt

with medusa on

the back, i grip my

pendant

and now we are slowing

down, holding

poses longer, now

the teacher invites us to

pause

between the

poses, in the

transition

in lieu of rushing

to replace, she

invites us to ask

ourselves

how have i been

changed?

and that's where

she gets me, in the

how, in the change in the

pause

of empty nest

of so many loved ones lost,

of moving of

new friends

and letting go

of old

of new homes

and new stages

and the body

ever in transition

so i sit in the

dark room, on

my soft purple

mat

and breathe

and pause