Blog entry by Rihab, a Physics Professor, Yoga Teacher, and Shala Apprentice

Family

One of the most gratifying feelings in my life has been the feeling of being surrounded and nurtured by family, really close family.  Only second to this is the feeling arising in a romantic relationship early in its developmental stage.  I grew up in Damascus, Syria, and to a Syrian, family is the center piece in life around which everything else revolves.

I arrived at Circle Yoga Shala on May 19, 2013 to enjoy a week of relaxation, followed by a two-week apprenticeship.  I had visited the farm the previous summer for a few days on two different occasions.  I had felt the genuine welcoming by everyone on the farm in the preceding year.  However, when I finally settled into my apprenticeship, I recognized the old feeling I grew up with while in Syria: that of being surrounded by a real family.  The Shala felt like home to me, and I became attached to it in a similar manner to my attachment to my first home in Damascus.

I was the kitchen apprentice on the farm.   Continue reading →