adaptive, restorative yoga series
BONE STRENGTHENING with Trish Harris of Divine Journey Yoga by Wendy Becker
T
rish Harris’s “aha” moment to become a certified yoga teacher feels like it was only a year ago, even though her journey started in 2012, at 40 years old. Harris, the owner of Tucson’s Divine Journey Yoga, humorously describes herself as “clueless” to understanding how important yoga would be to bring about positive change and a balanced lifestyle. “Things were always fine,” she says. “That is, until they were not.” Through obstacles of personal upheaval and crisis, Harris was called to learn about the perfection of impermanence. It was during these unforeseen circumstances she discov-
ered her physio-emotional bandwidths and mental landscapes at a weekly evening Restorative Yoga class. It helped her get c ontrol of what she called “crazy worry”. Weekly practice became important time out for “reclaiming” herself by “showing up on the mat to see what the mirror reflected back” to her and the condition of her inner world. Sweat removed the toxic veils of her perceptions. Sometimes they manifested as uncomfortable or injurious “consequences” and at other times, beads of glistening sweat were signs of softening tensions that opened her heart to the calm mental surrender of “kindness, compassion and grace.”
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She credits Tim Howell with luring her into teaching yin yoga every third class on her schedule. In the beginning, Harris admits, she was not a lover of yin yoga, which is a style of meditative hatha yoga comprised of long-held asanas—anywhere from counting three to five breath cycles to three minutes of focused time. The signature quality of yin yoga is regenerative and helps to bring increased lubrication to the joints. Yet, the more difficult aspect of this practice is an underlying energetic one that can come as a surprise to an unprepared mind. As Harris reflected, “It was disturbing because I had the feeling of wanting to run away from what would come up” roaring out of quiet stillness. Harris’s classes are structured with gentle moves guiding students through stuck places they may experience. “Even though you have no control over anything outside of yourself, what is within your control is learning how to show up for yourself,” she says. Students can learn much about themselves from what happens in each posture. A yoga practice is not just about exhaling what needs to be “let go”, but it also plants the seeds for spontaneous joy and gratitude. During this current COVID-19 time, she provides five Zoom classes a week. “It is very hard to teach on Zoom because it is isolating,” Harris says. For many, isolation during this time has brought into focus awakenings of useful purpose. Harris formerly had classes of 20 to 25 students at various locations around Tucson. Harris desired to connect with the people that were missing from her regular online classes. She reached out by email to see how she could be of service. Then she composed a solution for all her students to participate on an ongoing open platform. “It all started with my love of singing devotional chants
