I decided to start this journal as a way to process and document my experience as I begin a yoga teacher training program. But the idea quickly transformed into a bigger vision. If anyone knows me you will know that I am not very savvy when it comes to technology but I thought it would be really cool to start a blog and a fun, practical way to keep friends and family in the loop about what I am up to. However, again, a bigger vision came into focus. With my decision to enter into a yoga training program came a long awaited realization that living an authentic, purposeful life is available and attainable to everyone, including me. It feels amazing and I want to share it with anyone who is interested. I sincerely hope that something here will resonate with someone and bring him or her one step further along in their own personal journey towards awakening to their authentic selves and living lives full of peace, happiness and contentment. I am not claiming to be an expert although I do have a deep passion and interest in the field of personal and spiritual growth and development. Primarily, I am just human like everyone else trying to make the most of this life that I am blessed to have been given. There is an unlimited amount of potential for personal, physical and spiritual growth through yoga and everyday life experiences, and I look forward to sharing what I learn!
My Yoga Background
I started practicing yoga about seven years ago at a Baron Baptiste Power Yoga Studio in Merrimack, NH on a recommendation from a friend. I clearly remember my first class because it (or shall I say “I”) was a complete and utter disaster. If anyone is familiar with Power Yoga, you will know it is a fast paced, very flowy and extremely physical style of yoga. On top of that, the temperature in the room is cranked up to almost 100 degrees. Probably not the best choice for a beginner but you have to start somewhere! Anyhow, I remember the instructor adjusting me on practically every pose (or at least the poses I attempted to get into.) I didn’t even know how to do the most basic postures, such as downward dog, and I felt so awkward. I lacked body awareness and had no concept of how to twist & lengthen into these foreign poses, and my extremely tight muscles were not allowing me much freedom to do so. Not understanding that one of the main philosophies of yoga is non-judgement, my ego was crushed as I compared myself to all the Gumby-like bodies in the class and attempted to muscle my way into all the poses. It’s a good thing I did not end up seriously injured.
Despite this, I went back. It could have been my perfectionist nature wanting to master this yoga thing, but looking back I think it was the beginning of a long curiosity surrounding the ancient practice of Yoga. At first, the benefits I perceived from Yoga were purely physical. Baptiste Power Yoga is a workout like no other. It increases your heart rate while building incredible strength and flexibility throughout every muscle group in your body and since my clothes and hair would literally be drenched with perspiration after class I was convinced I was sweating out any yucky toxins in my body. I felt incredible after practicing this type of yoga.
According to Deepak Chopra in the Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga “If the practice of yoga provided only these physical benefits, it would fully justify its place in our lives. However, at its core, yoga is much more than a system of physical fitness. It is a science of balanced living, a path for realizing full human potential.”
These words sum up exactly why I have decided to immerse myself in a teacher training. Do I want to teach? Possibly. I love the idea of sharing yoga with others…particularly Yoga “off the mat.” But primarily I cannot wait to witness the personal spiritual and physical growth that I know will occur in the next year. I intend to use my experience to help others with their own personal development and truly cannot think of any other type of work that would bring me such joy. So even though this leg of my journey has just begun I am already experiencing unprecedented peace and contentment in my life because I know I am on the exact path I am supposed to be on. I guess I have always been since everything I have experienced has brought me here.
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