When Mr. Sexy and I first moved to Long Beach, Yoga On The Bluff caught our eye again and again and again. We noticed a large group of people appearing to do yoga together and wondered: What is this class? How much is it? How do we get involved? After a few weeks, we learned that Yoga On The Bluff is a free class for anyone who wants to join.
So, when Mr. Sexy’s co-worker invited us to Yoga On The Bluff one Saturday morning, we grabbed our yoga mats and put on our walking shoes. We were in our first few months of living in Belmont Shore and still feeling the aftershock of getting here. Everything about me felt raw at that point. For me, just going out in public felt very scary and vulnerable.
Mr. Sexy and I arrived at Yoga On The Bluff for the first time, not knowing what to expect.
Something began to shift as I sat on my yoga mat, closed my eyes, and allowed Yoga On The Bluff to work its magic. Sitting in a new park surrounded by strangers, I felt some of my armor dismantle as a few tears fell down my cheek.
The yogi said things like, “You deserve to be here,” “Because you exist, you belong,” and “Your heart will lead you to your creativity.”
My entire being needed to hear these affirmations. My body responded by first trying to hold everything in. I sat rigid and tall, keeping my face neutral like any good Yoga On The Bluff student. But then I just couldn’t do it anymore.
My tears felt like a release from a prison cell.
Now I could finally start to let myself be taken care of. I could begin the process of letting go of my role as Major General in my family. You see, for the past few years, we lived in our own little hell hole. My family experienced some hard things that could’ve-should’ve-would’ve ripped us apart. Even though a few years passed since, I still struggle with overwhelming guilt for the hard times and constantly thinking about what I could have done better in the past. That line of thinking rarely helped, though. It just made me feel terrible.
Being at Yoga On The Bluff forced me to sit still and reflect on myself.
I could rest in this space. If I wanted to lie down and rest my body, I could do that too. The yoga instructor made it very clear that his practice was there to serve me, and it was my responsibility to show up for it.
If I’m being totally honest, I felt silly and embarrassed for crying during Yoga On The Bluff. While I knew nobody else paid any attention to me and my outward feelings, I still worried about it. What a silly human thing, right? Yet even through those moments of shame, I experienced some healing. I did the thing. I let those tears fall down to my neck, and I let my body feel all the emotions that wanted to explode out of me.
The tears didn’t stop when the yoga instructor got us moving our bodies. In fact, the body movement propelled more tears to gush forward and straight down to my chest. No joke. So I made the bold choice again and again to keep my eyes closed, keep moving my body as instructed, and let those freaky tears fly.
After my first Yoga On The Bluff experience, I felt a significant change in my body.
I felt lighter, more free. The armor I wore had cracked open so dim rays of sunshine could start to make their way through. However, it would be many more yoga sessions before that armor came totally off.
Yoga On The Bluff became a staple in our week after that. For the first few months we lived here, Mr. Sexy and I turned our Saturdays into a day date. We started out walking to Yoga On The Bluff, then we hit the cute Farmer’s Market they have here. After that, we walked home for a pit stop lunch, because the next adventure was Second Street and finding a new pot shop with good deals.
Yoga On The Bluff has been a transformative experience for both Mr. Sexy and me, helping us find peace and connection in our new home. It has become a cherished part of our routine, bringing us closer to ourselves and our community. If you’ve ever felt the need to find a space where you can let go, reflect, and heal, I encourage you to join a local yoga class or find your own sanctuary. Have you had a similar experience with yoga or another activity? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below—I would love to hear from you!
