It usually begins with a heaviness, a feeling that you cannot focus. Visually you are overwhelmed, your space is full of stuff, and this is reflected in your mental state. Our inner landscape is nourished by our outer landscape; and the two coexist in symbiosis. Over the course of a day, we jump from one thing to the next, and suddenly, you have a stack of mail, a cup of coffee that has been reheated several times yet remains full – and is cold once again, forgotten in the microwave. You see your valiant effort to stay on top of the clutter, evidenced by an abandoned broom in the corner. Dust bunnies have accumulated under furniture, and it’s as though you can feel cobwebs forming in your own mind. Your to do list remains unchecked, and all because your surroundings are in chaos – sometimes we’re so bogged down by the chaos we can’t even make the connection! And suddenly, like a mania, you spring into action. “I NEED TO CLEAN NOW.” That’s what I heard that day. I sent my husband and my toddler out for a few hours to enjoy each other and bond, and as the front door clicked shut I stood in the middle of it all and let my mind’s gears begin to turn, faced with the task of taking charge of my living space. And I knew that nothing else would get done, that this stagnant yet chaotic state would continue until I picked up, decluttered, and cleaned. They say that “cleanliness is next to godliness.” However you understand godliness, whether it’s a blissful state or an actual deity, it’s easy to see why this phrase was coined. The beatific satisfaction of knowing all is right often results from an organized and clean home. Things are in their right place, easy to find, reducing wasted time. Systems automatically appear out of the chaos. Inside, this resets our creativity. Chi (or Qi) is flowing. Sometimes it’s difficult to know where to begin. I often start with playing some soothing music and lighting a candle. Then proceed by picking up things that are not where they belong (a very familiar concept for parents of young children!) Just starting somewhere, by putting things in their proper place, gets it going. Follow your instincts. Usually the last phase is the actual cleaning of surfaces, such as wiping down furniture and mopping the floor. By this time, your space is so much more open and free that giving it that last bit of sparkle is incredibly rewarding. Choosing natural cleansers and aroma therapeutic scents (I’m currently in love with Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning products) makes it a multi-sensory experience. At this point, with still my soothing music and candle lit and soothing scent filling the entire place, I still had a little time left before my family returned from playtime, and starting rearranging some knick knacks and adding decorative touches to my work. It was almost unbelievable that just a few hours before, I hardly knew where to begin! Now I was having so much fun with my renewed energy (not coincidentally related to the reinstating of order in my home) that I wanted to do more! Instead, I put on a cup of tea, took a deep breath of my clean and fresh smelling surroundings, and sat down and enjoyed the moment. And as I took it all in, sitting on my couch, sipping a cup of tea with full awareness, I had to laugh. The one place I had forgotten to address was the microwave. As the front door opened, I dumped the cold remains of that cup of coffee down the drain and smiled to myself. My daughter walked in, happy, exhilarated from play, and I was ready to give her my full attention. I was ready to give my life my full attention. "I Need To Clean Now" October 23, 2009: rhonna del rio-ascolese with elizabeth wagstaff williams | 
Finding her and her classes was truly godsend. In her classes, one can be blindfolded and still be able to do the poses. Her vocal illustration during class shape or sculpt all poses in such an organic step by step detail. Wendy is able to carry her voice narrative of all the poses over to each student in class like a pair of hands adjusting each of us all the same time. She creates a safe haven in her classes where mind and body move dynamically in sync. Wendy seamlessly merges breathing with all the poses with intent and as a result it had made me aware of my own breathing on and off the yoga mat…what better gift is there to give anyone? I hope you gift yourself with her yoga philosophy, style and teaching.
