What a week...

So this week I began my Mysore classes, tomorrow morning being the last one of this first week. Its been decent, 5 on Monday, 4 on Wednesday, and we'll see how tomorrow goes. So, I've been shifting and changing, growing even and this week has been no exception. Other than the major shifts in my teaching schedule, I had a student from my backbend workshop last month send Chris an email stating some very nasty things about me, and I was taken aback. I knew we didn't hit it off within the time she was there, she had never been to Yogasource before, nor did she have any business being in the workshop based on the description, it was meant to help folks grow their backbending practice, not to teach them how to do a basic Urdhva Dhanurasana, which was the case with her. Anyhow, for some reason it took her a month to send the nasty email, and Chris forwarded it to me, so I read it, was very upset all day but didn't respond and then I couldn't not respond anymore, so I did. Which she promptly forwarded to Chris and sent me the most childish email saying don't even respond to this or I will just delete it because I don't have space in my life for your jack-assery. LOL I know, I'm being petty by telling you all this, but I can't help it. Anyhow, I felt icky this morning after reading her response and decided I was going to chant and do pranayama to help release it, and it worked partially. I taught a class, which helped even more, then I came home and completely got rid of my beard! lol, I know. But, it completely helped. That thing was holding on to some stagnant energy and letting go of it made me have a major release and feel totally better. So a few weeks ago I cut off part of the beard, about 12 inches, then this week I cut it off even further, then today, gone, only stubble left. I really want to have it back but needed it gone right now and the release that came with it, apparently. It will take its time growing back, not really that long, but I am not meant to have no facial hair, I look crazy without it lol! So, here I am, in this weird place. This place with lots of space to fill, lots of exploration to happen even maybe. I still consider myself a Sikh I suppose, even though I haven't been wearing my turban, I still have my long hair and my beard will grow back. Do these outward things make me a Sikh though? Or is it the standard by which I live my life? Is it the code I live by? To me, the inner life is so much more important and the strength I'm getting in my inner being from this practice and from the people I'm now surrounding myself with, and my whole life in general tells me that yes, I'm still a Sikh. More than that I consider myself a yogi. I use my yoga practice, all of it, not just the asanas, for growing inwardly. Diving in deep to myself and figuring out whats going on in there, also diving in deep to my life and experiences of life to figure out where I stand on everything, where I want to be, where I need to be, and how to fully be present and enjoy everything and everyone in it. I truly love this life I've created for myself, and look forward to what I'll create in the future, already I'm thinking I need to go to India next year... what more?