Chance Meeting with Shri Shiva Rea

Sometimes wonderful things happen to you in New York that make the day in day out stresses worth it...:

On Friday night I was working at the Rubin Museum and I went to say hi to the bartenders. They asked my friend Trudie to deliver this plate of dumplings but she didn't want the table to think she was a cocktail waitress, ah-hem, so I offered to take it over. Which table? Those three people straight ahead? No problem. I delivered the appetizer to the the two men and the handsome blond woman with them asked if we had chopsticks or forks. Sure, be right back.
As I turned around it registered-- That iss Shiva Rea! Right, this is the weekend of the Yoga Journal Conference, she's in town teaching!
Haha! How lucky! I grabbed the chopsticks from the bar and went back to the table and asked, "Are you a yoga teacher?"
"Yes I am", the two men with her smiled
"Shiva Rea?"
"Yeah" she said sweetly, invitingly, I went around to her side to introduce myself and shake her hand and she opened up for a hug.
She was wearing gold Indian filigree teardrop earrings that looked so gorgeous next to her soft sun warmed skin. Her skin looks like she has been lightly tanned her whole life, it is just a layer of who she is. She was beaming but it felt completely ordinary, she didn't exude a sense of untouchable glamour or importance, she was very quiet and steady. Didn't seem perturbed to have been recognized, or feel any pressure to handle the situation in any way or another. She was very friendly and caring. It was so reassuring that such an accomplished yogi would truly radite the qualities of the scriptures, being steady and open. She introduced me to her husband and their friend from Boston.

We had a really nice conversation. We talked about the museum collection. She asked me where I practiced and I told her about how much I love Laughing Lotus and that I feel like a warrior after the rigorous training. It seemed sort of reassuring to have this vision of Goddess on the eve of the final exam.
She said she would be at Omega and Kripalu and corrected when I asked "You always teach in LA though, right?"
"Malibu" she said.
haha! Of course. It wasn't mean, just a fact, of course she dwells in the most beautiful place in the country. She is quite a creature , she seems like the head of a Lord of the Rings kingdom, she has that clarity and exactness. It was really inspiring to meet her and I hope to do yoga with her someday.
I love this video of her. I've heard actively observing the asanas can give you the same effects as doing them. I feel clear and invigorated watching her body. She reminds me of watching Dana move, you know they are sending their bodies messages of what to do next, but it seems like they are leaves in the wind, just being carried up and down and into lunges and pulsing up and down, just riding on their own breath.