Yoga entered my life as a consistent practice after I backpacked the Appalachian Trail, a journey that lasted 5 months and took a toll on my body. I was unable to run, an activity I love, and turned instead to yoga as a purely physical exercise. I was familiar with yoga and had taken classes before, but did not have any kind of daily routine. I found that the poses I was doing breathed into the sore parts of my body and made me feel open, settled and calm. I eventually decided to do Teacher Training with Sonic, which allowed me access to a depth of yoga that I had never before experienced. Not just in terms of an increase in strength and flexibility, but in the training of my mind.
The training’s completion coincided with the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis, which offered a unique test of mental and emotional strength. Yoga was not a coping mechanism for what was to come, but a readjustment of the way my body and my mind react to stress and process discomfort. The community of incredible and inspiring friends I established during training was also so helpful during this time of change and worry.
I love yoga—it makes me feel grounded, as it mirrors the rhythm of the earth with breath and movement. I feel as if I am continually discovering yoga, each practice feeling revelatory and fresh, even if my body shakes or my mind wanders for a moment. I have been so excited to be able to teach regularly through zoom, and am looking forward to instructing more in person classes. I am grateful every day for what yoga and the instructors at Sonic have taught me.
