I have to admit, when I had the idea to spend the month of October visiting old haunts, I hadn’t spent much time reflecting on what an old haunt actually is, or what emotions may resurface and how I would approach this from a writing perspective. It was a spontaneous thought that seemed a good idea from the obvious angle; October is known for its transformative nature of seasonal change and Halloween and related spookiness.
Today it dawned on me that it may be beneficial to set some ground rules for myself before going too far down memory lane just for the sake of dramatic storytelling or digging up settled dirt. While I will be going to some yoga classes and perhaps encountering teachers that I have a history with, my intention is not to solely focus on yoga studios or teachers, or to call anyone out. This is not meant to be a critique, though where relevant, I will share my opinion. In visiting old haunts, I’m most curious about how it feels to revisit a place I haven’t been for a long time, specifically when there is an emotional reason I have chosen not to return. The memory that has kept me away may be a long way from the reality of that place or person. As I continue to transform, everything and everyone is also going through a unique change process according to their own rhythm. My intention is to learn something about myself and what aspects of me have changed and stayed the same, but also, to allow myself the space to hold a new interpretation of the places and people I will seek to re-encounter. Other than that, I have no expectations or ideas about where I may end up or what I may end up confronting. But then, do we ever really know what life has in store for us?