“Endurance is not a young person’s game.I thought I’d even be better at 60 than I was at 30. You have a body that’s almost as strong, but you have a much better mind.” Diana Nyad, Olympic swimmer.

When my teacher, Desiree Rumbaugh, told Yoga Journal that she was introducing a class that was specifically for advanced practitioners over 50, they responded by saying, “Way to limit your market!”

Today marks the first day of my own Wisdom Warriors class in Colorado, and like Desiree, I wonder if anyone will show up? But also like my teacher, I will hold it anyway. Perhaps if we build it, they will come. For Denver, I have opened the class to age 45 and up.

I know there are other yogis out there like me. I feel stronger in so many ways than I was in my twenties. I am steadier, more used to riding out adversity, more steadfast and determined. And at the same time, it is easier for me to say que sera sera, which was a term from my generation that translates loosely as “eff” it.

The practice is designed to continue building our strength and flexibility. But the difference, is our room will also build community.

Nobody knows you, like you!

I understand the frustration from not being able to do something you once could do. I understand bad knees, lingering injuries and osteo-arthritis. I also understand the desire to create more in our lives. As Diana Nyad said, “Endurance is not a young person’s game.”

I WILL NOT SETTLE FOR LESS!

I wrote a book about finding more in our lives! I live that motto every day. As we grow older, we expand our minds and our spirits. Wisdom Warriors is a chance for our practice to keep up with who we are these days. We are expanding warriors, and together we will stand taller and brighter in our dreams. We will seek out the advanced poses, but go there in harmony with our mind, body and spirit.

Please join me for a chance to create a new community of engaged yogis who want to live better, wiser and stronger lives. If we can find this on the mat, then we will inspire those around us to live a more fully realized life as well. We will walk each other all the way home.

Michelle Berman Marchildon is the Yogi Muse. She is the author of “Finding More on the Mat: How I Grew Better, Wiser and Stronger through Yoga,” and a Columnist for Elephant Journal and Origin Magazine.  She is an E-500 RYT with Yoga Alliance and teaches Aligned Vinyasa in Denver, Co. Even though she is uber-fabulous, she is NOT an Ambassador for Lululemon, and has been promised she will never be one. She is, however, an Ambassador for Kiragrace, yoga clothes from a company with a heart. You can take Michelle with you on your computer or I-thing by downloading her classes from www.yogadownload.com. The Wisdom Warriors class will be held at One Yoga Denver  studio in the tech center. See the studio web page for details.