Mariela’s Sunday Thoughts: 100
I was suffering through Ashley’s Sculpt & Strengthen class when I decided to do something very un-yogic: I started to try to find ways to distract myself from the effort that the workout was taking. I went to the very tried-and-true method of counting. In this case instead of sheep, I counted days that Grounded had been open.
That’s when it hit me: day 100th was coming.
Ashley’s cue to change legs brought me back to the moment and I immediately mentioned out loud that Grounded was turning 100.
One
Hundred
Days
Open!
If that’s not something to celebrate, I don’t know what is.
The class immediately suggested we should throw a party, and ideas started to fly through the room: we should offer a special class, we should provide snacks, what if there was a social hour? what if we could extend the celebrations through the week and honor the generosity that Grounded has received by paying it forward? what if every student could bring a guest for free to every class? Should we offer discounts for our merch? Can we decorate the studio?
We are doing it all, obviously.
Yoga teaches us to appreciate the present moment under the premise of that being all there is: the past no longer exists, the future is a product of the imagination. In simple terms, all we have is now. If we postpone celebrations, according to the yogic reasoning, we’re differing the attention to the future (inexistent) and giving up to Maya (distraction) resulting in a presence-less moment, an un-yogic life.
We’ve been celebrating Grounded every day. A deep feeling of gratitude and appreciation takes over me every time I walk into the space, take a class, watch one of you come in or sign up, a generous idea is brought up by a teacher, or even when the rent bill comes in and I can pay it. Every aspect of it is celebrated, because every aspect of it is seen with presence, as the unique moment it is.
As cheesy as it sounds, I decided to celebrate 10 tangible aspects of Grounded - and here’s the list:
It’s a truly inclusive place. Not just in words, but in actions and principles.
It’s accessible and ADA compliant
It’s a safe space where teachers share a moral ground
It has a variety of classes and teachers to cater to every need, every day
It was born out of a need to share the good of yoga
It allows teachers to be who they are, without guidelines to stick to or class styles having to fit a mold
It offers scholarships for those who need them, no questions asked, no time limits imposed
It came to realization in 5 weeks, thanks to the solidarity, hard work, communal service, and generosity of everyone that’s part of it
It’s been profitable since day 6 of being open, allowing us to increase the teachers’ pay on day 30 and start building our emergency fund on day 10
Our schedule keeps expanding, despite the common rule within fitness studios that “more classes dilute attendance”. We don’t care about class size (ego), we care about you having the chance to serve your need at a particular moment (service). (Also, teachers keep approaching us with awesome class ideas and we cannot resist).
Yoga offers us the concept of Kritajna to talk about an acquired state of consciousness so that one can be fully aware and appreciate the gifts of life. The goal of yoga is to calm the mind, and incorporating affirmative, optimistic thoughts such as thoughts of gratitude, helps dissipate undesirable mental chatter, which in turn provides greater clarity and allows us to be more present.
It is unconditional: It doesn't rely on getting what we want. It is a baseline awareness of the gift of existence itself.
It is a practice (Sadhana): It must be cultivated (Krita) intentionally through mindfulness until it becomes automatic.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Kritajna connects directly to the path of Karma Yoga -the yoga of selfless action. The text teaches that we can never truly act alone; our every action is supported by an interconnected web of cosmic forces, nature, and other beings. Krishna introduces the concept of Yajna (sacrifice or sacred offering), explaining that the universe operates on a cycle of mutual giving. Nature gives to us, and we must give back through our actions.
In short, anyone who enjoys the gifts of the world without offering anything in return is essentially a thief.
Kritajna is the driving force behind Yajna. When we act out of deep gratitude for what we have received, our daily work transforms from a chore into a selfless offering back to society and the divine.
Creating Grounded was my gratitude towards Yoga being materialized. For years I had seen the classes I taught as my service towards the practice. I’ve always tried to teach from a yogic perspective and weave dharma talks with asana. I’ve always tried, to the best of my abilities, to respect this borrowed practice as much as possible.
This past March hosted a series of events that made it impossible to authentically keep being part of a space that was reigned by Maya. The need to create a space where yoga could be freely and genuinely embodied, taught, and practiced could no longer be ignored and, after weeks of hearing “find the space and I’ll follow you” from teachers and students alike, Grounded (name, logo, and concept) came to me mid April, in the middle of the night, in a dream.
At a time that I was truly struggling with living in this part of the planet, that I had been told I did not belong here, Grounded gave me the sense of safety I never new was possible. I went from waking up every day wanting to leave, to waking up every day excited to stay.
This wonderful space we created made me feel seen, protected, and comfortable. It gave me the warm hug I so desperately needed. It showed me true community and, after seven years in Idaho, I now finally feel at home.
A simple journaling (or thought/meditation) prompt to connect with Kritajna:
A very tried-and-true task here, with a twist: rather than writing 10 things you’re grateful for, choose one (in my case, it was Grounded) and write ten aspects of it that bring you deep gratitude. Be meticulous, specific, and attentive.
For the next week, read this list every night, right before bed. Add a new aspect every day, as soon as you wake up.
A Yoga pose to connect with gratitude: Anahatasana (melting heart/puppy pose):
The humility of child’s pose meets the devotion of grounding your heart in this gentle back bend. Start on all fours, do a couple of rounds of cat/cow to warm up the spine. Take a deep breath, tuck in your toes, and walk your hands forward as you exhale until your chest rests on the mat. Place your forehead on the mat (eventually, your chin if you have room for it), and count down 7 deep breaths, as you think about something or someone you feel deep gratitude for.