Where has Yoga taken you?

Yoga has taken me on both literal and figurative journeys. Journeys that have brought me to new homes, new countries, and most importantly but less obvious, new states of awareness. 

With the encouragement of my mentor and community, yoga brought me to New York City, living on my own for the first time. That is where I learned the importance of cultivating a home environment that promotes stability and tranquility, one that could serve as refuge against the challenges and conflicts that arise in daily urban living.

The practice of ahimsa, the principle of non-harming, brought me to an elephant sanctuary with the highest standards of ethical care in the northern mountains of Thailand. That is where an afternoon of physical labor ,including chopping down banana trees and shoveling elephant poop, is rewarded with the priceless joy of witnessing elephants in their natural habitat.

Svadhyaya (self-study) and the principle of santosha (contentment) have taught me to accept my boundaries and appreciate my abilities. These gifts have brought me clarity in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, navigating my career, building and maintaining relationships, and even finding love.

While these anecdotes are by no means a comprehensive list of the journeys yoga has taken me on, these journeys illustrate how yoga has empowered me to channel my awareness and intention into action.

How did your yoga teacher training influence your life?  

Teacher training helped me deepen my own yoga practice and recognize the teacher within myself as well as everyone around me. Teacher training taught me to channel tapas, a passion for discipline, and provided me with a framework for showing up consistently for my physical and internal self, and my community. Saving the best for last, teacher training has also opened the door to community and lifelong friendships I cherish deeply.

What was your first yoga class experience?

I took my first yoga class at my local gym with my Dad. As a dancer I thought it would be easy and that I’d execute every pose flawlessly. It would be some time before I would get ‘bit’ by the yoga bug, but I remember being humbled by the simple yet dynamic side-angle pose. I was going for the bind but holding my breathe the entire time. The teacher adjusted the placement of my hands so I could return to a steady stream of breath. It took all my concentration to maintain balance while breathing steadily, but I remember waking up from savasana at the end and feeling clear-headed.