Last week while I was trying to be accessible — a more detailed post on this struggle later — I did have one moment of solitude to shed some light on this horrific week of cleansing (and trying to figure out how the heck you’re accessible in a yoga practice). I had discovered the one and only Ted Grand was coming to teach a class at Moksha Downtown! Who is Ted Grand you may ask?! Well he just so happens to be one of the co-founders of Moksha Yoga, and yoga celebrity. Well, I consider him a celebrity.

See? He's on the cover of a magazine. Celebrity!

Mr. Moksha, the man I’ve been dying to meet for 2 whole years, was teaching a class in Toronto, at my studio! It was fate. But one problem stood in my way, he was teaching at noon, on a Thursday. Whyyy?? A noon hot yoga class is not conducive to the 9-5 working folks. Lucky for me work is super close to the studio, but factoring in extra time to arrive extra early, to shower and get back to the office …. this was going to be a very long lunch hour. I had to take this class, so I derived a plan. I’ve only ever seen Ted in passing or practicing at Moksha Downtown, or heard he was around the Bullfrog office, (No, I am not a stalker, although that just sounded very much like I am), I’ve never actually had the chance to formally introduce myself. That was until last Monday.

But first my brilliant plan. For those who may not know, Ted cares very much for the planet. He cares so much that all Moksha studios (in Canada) are Bullfrog powered.

See… (This is jumping ahead to this week’s pillar, but oh well.)

I would pitch that going to Ted’s class would be excellent way for Bullfrog to show our appreciation to Moksha Yoga. Then my boss would have to let me go to class. It would be for work! Brilliant! I was the connector after all. When I’m not working I’m at Moksha Downtown and when I’m not practicing I’m working at Bullfrog. My two worlds were colliding nicely together. This was amazing.

And an even better part of the scheme — I mean work building opportunity — I would invite the whole office to come to the class too! It would be a Bullfrog outing.

Gosh, I even remember my days working at Fashion Take Action when Kelly talked frequently of Moksha yoga (this was before my trading days) and her friends Ted and Tara. That would be Canadian singer/song writer Tara MacLean (also wife of Ted Grand). This was so long ago. Look at me now.

So back to Monday. When I arrived at the office, Lindsay (colleague, fellow member of the Bullfrog running club, and Moksha Bloor West yogi), said Ted was coming to the office! And after pitching her the idea to take our office people to Ted’s class on Thursday (this was discussed while running one lunch hour) the plan was approved. This week couldn’t get better. But it did. Before Lindsay’s meeting with Ted, I was allowed in to meet him. It was a blessing. And so was his class.

Ted has an amazing aura, and was so mindful of each person in the room. He taught in a way that I even felt connected to everyone there. It didn’t matter what shape, or size or your yogi level of experience there was no ego. I’m not going to lie, I had this image he would speak God-like and this voice would move me in a healing sort of way. I had to be reminded he is a human too. But Ted was a joker. He made me smile, feel overly light and at peace. He is humble and kind all of which shines as he teaches.

I was completely accessible to being in the room and on my mat. Ted showed me how to be accessible in yoga and in my day.