finding a yoga home

After nearly three years of living in Northeast Ohio, I have found a yoga home:

morning light at Agni Studio

Aaaaahhhhh. Don't you feel relaxed already?

chakra banner

And about half a year or so after I started taking classes there regularly, I am now officially teaching there - yay!

I like having the time to feel centered before teaching, so I usually arrive at least a half hour before class to practice here. 

It took me a while to get to this point. Conversations with Anna, my first yoga teacher, as well as Sharon, another yoga teacher. Conversations with my husband, who always gives me that extra push that I need. Conversations with yet another teacher who also gave me an extra nudge. And conversations with myself (sounds strange, I know) that don't involve talking myself out of it. 

I still get nervous from time to time before class starts. I remember the first time I taught the entire class, I had so much pent-up energy before class that I felt like I could run around the block. Oh wait, who am I kidding... I don't run.

I just try to prepare as much as I can, reading, practicing, breathing, maybe writing up a plan or some ideas for that day's sequence... while at the same time being in the moment while teaching so that I can respond to the needs of those who are in class.

I'm teaching twice a week now, slowly finding my voice as a teacher while also working to recall and apply all that I learned from those who have mentored and nurtured the teacher in me.

So thankful for this experience... I look forward to growing in this new role, and hopefully encouraging and honoring others in their respective yoga journeys as well.

Educate, support, inspire. This is the studio's "mantra", and what I try my very best to work towards in every class.

where are you playing small in your life?

digging into my books

I read that question today and it was like a kick in the gut. (If you need a little cheerleading in your life, read the article here.)

So I'm taking the leap.

I went ahead and approached the yoga studio where I take classes, and told them I was interested in teaching. It took quite a while for me to get to this point. I completed my 300-hour yoga teacher training in 2006, but I haven't taught in.... let's see. Three years.

Generally I don't do well with decision-making. I don't read or follow astrology but I think indecisiveness is the stereotypical Gemini trait. It takes me forever and a day to make decisions sometimes.

I consider myself a THINK-DO-THINK person (rather than a DO-THINK-DO person) - to a fault, because I tend to overthink until sometimes, I make a bigger deal out of it than it actually is, then I end up talking myself out of it. Do any of you do this? Tell me I'm not alone. Anybody?


(Crickets)


I'm not sure why I had been holding back for so long. I was so much more fearless in my twenties, I think. (Geez it feels weird saying that: when I was in my twenties....). But that's partly the reason for this recent kick in the gut. Time is passing us by whether we like it or not. As cliche as it sounds, life is short. The longer we hold back to do something, the more time (and opportunity) passes us by. And I think that's when we become stagnant. Playing small means we stay in our comfort zone. I know "going beyond your comfort zone" tends to be an overused phrase, but it's true, isn't it?

image source

Sometimes I just need to tell myself, "do it." Well actually, it was A. who told me, "if you don't do it, I'll keep nagging you." I just need that push sometimes.

So one day I finally approached the studio owner to make an appointment to talk to her. When we finally met to talk, one of the first things she said was, "you're already part of the family!"

For the next few weeks I will practice teaching again, then the studio will offer a free community yoga class which will serve as my teaching demo. "Free" community yoga classes are typically donation-based; so donations from students are encouraged (but not required) and I can choose my own charity to which the proceeds will go.

In my "other" life, one of my professors said, "teaching is a privilege." And this is coming from a professor who has been at it for more than 15 years, and yet is still working to continuously improve, keep abreast with new or current strategies, and inspiring others to do the same. It's true though - teaching is a privilege. I've taught in different capacities (in my other life) and I take teaching very seriously. I just need to not take myself too seriously.

It's amazing though how opening yourself up to one experience or endeavor tends to open up another. It's almost like the courage you put into one decision spreads into the next. I have another "project" brewing right now which has been in my head for quite some time, and then just yesterday I thought, "what the heck, just do it!" I'll wait to share it as it's still in the works, but as you might guess, it is FOOD-related. :)

Where are you playing small in your life?

taking a leap... plus, a website on yoga anatomy and alignment

teaching yoga at Burnett Woods park (2009)

I have to say that I have not been teaching yoga for the past 2 years, at least. After going through my teacher training and receiving my certification some years ago, I taught part-time (one class a week) while trying to juggle a full-time day job -- which I loved -- and part-time graduate studies -- which I loved too, enough to quit my day job and go full-time with school.

Needless to say, teaching yoga took a backseat. Waaay in the back.

Partly because of time constraints (and we all know how I'm still constantly learning about time management), and partly because it took some time for me to find a yoga community that resonates with me after I moved here. But mostly because I didn't feel qualified enough to teach after taking such a long break.

But, I am happy to say that I've found IT! A yoga community, I mean. Since the beginning of the year, I have been taking classes with an amazing instructor. The classes are small, and, while not advertised as private, they almost seem that way, with a regular group of people attending. The instructor has a lighthearted, yet very informed style of teaching. I was blown away by her knowledge on alignment. And not just alignment in terms of lining up your feet a certain way in the Warrior poses. No, not just the alignment of the extremities, but pelvic alignment - so that alignment comes from way deep in the source, allowing everything else to open up. Wow. I'm still trying to take it all in. I've never explored pelvic alignment to this extent in any yoga class before. As I learn more, I hope to share more on this blog as well.

Recently, I decided to take a leap. After not having taught yoga for a while, and not having had any "formal" continuing education opportunities in yoga recently, I talked to the instructor and asked if I could assist her in her classes (such as by giving students adjustments). I knew I wanted to learn from her. She was thankfully very open to the idea and I was really appreciative of her warmth and enthusiasm; understanding that it does take time and energy to mentor someone. 

She shared this website with me called Bandha Yoga, and I've been studying the (web)pages and pages of anatomy information.

So, I'm learning. And loving it. And grateful for people who love to teach and willingly do so.