What making yoga accessible means to me

The studio where I did my teacher training has a guiding principle that yoga should be accessible to all people. I, too, agree that yoga should be made accessible.  I chose to make it available to people in a different way.

Backstory

I hated sports when I was growing up.  I always felt inadequate and felt like I was never competitive or physical enough.  I had very low self-esteem and hated my body- I was significantly overweight. I suffered from depression and anxiety.

In college, I found belly dance, and then yoga, and discovered ways for me to be more physical without requiring me to be competitive. I lost a fair amount of weight, gained some confidence, and finally graduated college.  I still battle with depression and anxiety at times.

In 2012 I started taking formal belly dance lesson from Valerie of Bravo Belly Dance. I decided I wanted to teach yoga so I could help people find yoga and help them build their confidence.  I wanted to help student combat anxiety and depression like I have.

Today

I love teaching beginner students.  These students are just starting their yoga journey, many of them in retirement.  I love seeing the changes as they occur.  Some students find more strength- physical and emotional, some find weight loss, others find some quiet time for the monkey chatter.

I have been there and I love sharing my experiences and my lessons with others.  One saying in yoga is "the obstacle is the path."  I believe that is true and we are put on this earth to share these lessons with others; to connect with other people so they, too, can learn and expand.

The interview

I have been working for a number of years now and had plenty of interviews in my life.  Some have been quick, some have been long and drawn out.  One was a panel of three people grilling me for about 10-15 minutes, asking me questions as quickly as possible.  None of them have been so weird as the interview for a local yoga studio.

Shortly after I got my 200 hr. YTT certificate, I discovered a yoga studio that was opening up down south.  I sent in my application, but hadn't received a response.  A fellow student and friend of mine was already teaching there and said he would pass along my name.  Shortly after that I received an email from the owner asking if I was still interested.  Of course I was and we set up a time to meet.

The day of the interview I was nervous, of course, but also excited.  It was a new studio so I might get to teach a couple times a week there.  I could be part of a new yoga community starting up from this little studio.  I worked my day job, which kept me from spiraling too much.  I arrived at the studio and found it was inside an office building.  It had a great entryway and a cute little reception area window, much like doctors offices have, except this was out into the hall.

I met the owner in the hallway, though I can't remember his name now.  He was tall with a thick beard. He told me that the studio was created by a research company that he works for.  This company had discovered yoga was a hot commodity along the Western Range and wanted to create a small network of yoga studios.  I didn't particularly want to get into a corporation of studios, but I wanted experience and figured this was a good way to do it.

We moved on to the actual interview, got interrupted by a couple of ladies who were interested in classes, and then continued on.  The first part was fairly normal.  He sat there asking questions like "What kind of music do you listen to?" "What is your experience with yoga so far?" etc.  Then he had me demo my teaching skills.

This is where it got weird.  He had me teach to an empty room and sat there watching me.  Mind you, in my training program, we were taught to watch the student, to give hands on assists, to interact with the students.  So I had to walk around an empty room, pretending there were students on their mats. Lest we forget, he was still watching me do this.

I have no training in acting.  I'm very scientifically minded, and my imagination is pretty minimal. This was THE most awkward thing I have done, that I can remember.  I know I sounded robotic, just regurgitating what I'd learned from my training.

I managed to get half way through my sequence, when he told me to stop.  We completed the interview fairly quickly after that.  He told me my energy wasn't right for the studio.  I thanked him and walked out wondering what the hell just happened?

It wasn't a fair interview in my opinion.  However, I know a few things now that have changed my views a little.  That studio has closed shop.  They didn't do very well at all.  I also know that I may have more bad interviews, but they probably won't be that weird ever again.  Even if they are, it won't feel so weird because nothing can compare to teaching an empty room how to do yoga.

Blessing to you,

Chess

Finding the courage to continue on

Some days are good and some days are bad.  We are all human and we have our ups and downs.  Some days when I have yoga to teach toward the end of the day, I question myself pretty harshly.  I have seen a few posts recently that say the same thing, so I know I'm not alone.

The thoughts that go through my head sound pretty abrasive when you read them.  Who am I to teach these students?  What makes me so special?  There are thousands of other yoga teachers out there, I will never get anywhere with this.  Those other teachers are better than I am.  I'm not a skinny yogini, I don't eat a Vegan diet.  Who would want to come to my class?

The things I need to remember, however, are that I'm the one who went through the training to teach something I love and feel anyone can benefit from.  I'm the one who worked hard to create my website and made sure I have a space to rent for teaching classes.  I need to take pride in that.

Also, the proper students will find me when the time is right for them.  So what if I'm not skinny?  That may mean that someone who isn't thin as well might look at yoga in a different light.  I eat meat, so what?  A lot of people do.  I love animals but I also need to take care of myself.  Realizing that is part of yoga, too (ahimsa for those who know a little more of what I'm talking about).  I also don't like exhaustively hot classes, which means others who don't like that will come to my classes.

In the end, I have friends and family who believe I can do this when I'm having a rough day.  Just when I think I am going to throw in the towel and give up, my phone rings and it is a lovely man who wants to come to my classes.  He's so sure of my classes that he is willing to pay for my 10 class card before even trying one.  Each time he comes to class, he tells me he loves my class and as soon as he's done with this card, he will buy another one.

Then I remember, it's not about me at all.  It's about the students.

Namaste my friends,

Chess

Making our own futures

After my yoga teacher training, I started teaching in a private studio with my own business model.  Spark of Life Yoga was my own little baby.  I tried also getting on at a couple of local studios, as I wanted more teaching and/or adjusting time.  One studio is now not offering classes and the second studio didn't have room for me.

I really want to teach beginners, and especially people who think that they can't do yoga.  I am not one to do crazy poses, I feel no need to do that.  I want to teach anyone I can that you don't have to be bendy in order to do yoga.

So what does this have to do with making our own futures?  I have decided to add a beginner yoga class to my schedule of classes.  The schedule opened up some so I am able to add this class on Wednesday nights. Despite a few closed doors, I am making my own doorway at this studio.  I hope you will come join me and make your own.

Bright Blessings,

Chess

Touch

One thing that the training forced me to do is touch others, including people I don't really know.  In the US, it is mostly forbidden to touch others, unless you know them really well.  When passing someone, you try your hardest not to brush up against them.  You say "pardon me" when you bump into another person, or even if you came close to it.  You even do a little dance when two people move to the same side when trying to pass each other.

There wasn't much hugging or touching going on with my family members when I was growing up.  I find it very awkward when others touch me on the shoulder, or even worse, when others try to hug me.  If I am consoling someone, that isn't hard for me, but any other time it just feels so weird.

The worst part is, this hurts us.  We don't feel connected with other people.  In our digital world, we find it easier to not touch or connect with our friends and family.  Then when we try to reconnect, we feel awkward or out of place. No wonder we love sex so much.  It is one of the only places we can touch each other and know full well what is expected from that touch.

So now I am having to learn how to give positive energy to my students through touch, which is very difficult for me, because I don't really know how to touch people.  But just like anything else, the more I do it, the more I learn.  The more I learn, the less awkward I feel doing it.

And through this, I also realize that some of my students probably feel the same way.  They don't know how to be touched.  So I am learning how to be gentle when working with my students, so that they feel comfortable and cared for.  They are important and if I am the only person who makes them feel seen, heard, and touched, then I am doing my job right.

Love and Light,
Chess

Themes for class

One of the things we learned in Teacher Training was choosing themes for class, setting the tone.  Since I have only had students on Fridays so far, I spend my whole week thinking about what I want to use for my theme.

My first class I used new beginnings, naturally.  I had a student who was completely new to yoga and a student who has been doing yoga for a while.  I thanked them for coming to my first class, and proceeded to discuss listening to their bodies while starting something new.

My second class I spoke about patience.  For me, I know that I find myself expecting things to be a certain way already.  It is hard to maintain patience.  I told my students it is something I work on, on and off the mat.  I try to take life one day at a time and I try to remember that it takes time to get some of the more difficult poses.  I am still working on crow, and that is one of the poses we learned to teach during training.  We easily practiced this one two or three times a week toward the end of training.

I will try to post my musings I use during class here for people to follow.  I think it will hold me accountable a little more, and promote my education in yoga some.

Love and light,

Chess

Completion of my Yoga Teacher Training

It's so surreal.  I can't believe that the 10 weeks are all behind me and the training is over.  I really bonded with everyone in the program with me, and I feel a slight sense of loss that we won't be spending every weekend together.  I am hoping to create a little get-together for everyone to come if they are available, but I need to figure out when a good time would be.

Also, after all the yoga we have done recently, I am taking the week off yoga.  Aside from working on my business stuff, and the final assessment, I am resting.

I signed up for two workshops coming up this weekend.  One is to help me teach beginners, and the other is or me to work on my adjustments more.  I want to become comfortable touching people before I start teaching.

I have plenty of info that I didn't get to blog about before, and now I will have a lot more time.  Keep an eye out for my upcoming posts!

Namaste my friends,

Chess

Being "selfish"

As many people may know, I have been very busy lately.  I already work a 40 hour week at a job that I don't particularly find inspiring.  I spend about three to five hours every week working on my Belly Dancing.  I recently started the Yoga Teacher Training.  It is a 200 hour course over 10 weeks, so essentially I am spending 20 hours a week working on the yoga stuff.  It's like a part time job.  Add on top of that the usual stuff of wanting to spend time with my husband and family, and I am getting run down.

I am having to re-evaluate most things, including work.  My PTO bank is extremely high because I never take time off.  Even when I am sick, I work.  I constantly feel like I am letting someone down in my life, because I aim to make everyone else happy.

With this YTT, I am learning that I need to take care of myself, and some people will just have to deal with it.  I need to learn that what other people think of me doesn't really matter.  I know I am smart and a hard worker, and if taking a few days off from work makes me look like less of a hard worker, that's not my problem.  We have PTO for a reason, and I should be able to use it.

This past Monday I came into work and requested two days off in the beginning of the week next week, knowing that I am getting tired.  I waited too long, and now I am sick again.  I very rarely get sick, so I know this is related to stress, and most of it is job stress.

So I am going to take my two days, despite issues that are coming up and meetings that I should attend.  My co-workers can handle it without me, and notify me of any changes when I return.

It's time I put myself first, even if that seems "selfish" to others.

Namaste,

Chess

Fourth Chakra

One of the funniest things about this chakra is there is a woman in my class that said she couldn't see her heart chakra, but could see all the others.  She kept saying that she doesn't have a heart chakra, but she is one of the sweetest, nicest, most caring individuals that I know.  I honestly believe that her heart is so big and so bright, that she is just having a hard time seeing it herself.

The fourth chakra is the heart chakra and it is called Anahata.  It is associated with the element of air and the color green, or sometimes purple or pink.  It can bring compassion and balance to ones life, and is involved in service or giving, and receiving.

When this chakra is in balance, physically one might find a healthy heart and lungs, good circulation and blood pressure, good posture, and that the fine motor skills are working properly.  Emotionally one might be able to show affection well, have compassion for others, be able to take care of oneself and accept him or herself.

If the chakra is imbalanced, physically one might see breast cancer, heart disease, lung disease, and shallow breathing.  Emotionally, one might be grieving, feeling fear or self-loathing, jealousy, envy, indecisiveness, or have issues with attachment.

In order to bring the heart chakra back into balance one could chant the word "yam" or meditate.  There are a few options for meditation, including visualizing light in heart radiating out, or using mudras during the meditation such as the lotus mudra or Anjali mudra.  Most pranayama is good to explore, especially alternate nostril breathing.  One might focus on the mandala, which is to the right (link).

Physical activity that one could do would include selfless sevice (Seva), self-care, prayer, massage or making something.  The asanas that one might practice are poses that open the heart, such as fish, bridge, wheel, venus arms, airplane, dancer, tree and cobra.

Love and light my friends,

Chess

Third Chakra

So far, through the few classes I've had on the chakras I haven't really found anything I am connected too.  I keep waiting for the right thing to pop out, but so far nothing has.

This third chakra is is the navel chakra and is called Manipura.  It is located at the navel or solar plexus.  The color associated with this one is yellow and the element associated with it is Fire.  This chakra is where we find out willpower and self-mastery, our self esteem, the ego.

When this one is balanced, one might find a healthy digestion and liver function, a strong core, stable blood pressure and vitality.  One might also find good discipline and self-responsibility, and that you are able to manifest your desires and like yourself.  If this chakra is out of balance you might find ulcres or gall stones, heartburn, diabetes, eating and digestive disorders, or adrenal burnout.  One might also feel stress, victimized, anger, guilt , poor self-esteem, jealousy, or even over controlling.

To try to balance this chakra one can use the Breath of Fire for pranayama work, or chant the word Ram. The mandala to focus on is given to the right (link).  You could try exercising, heated yoga, spending time in the sun, socializing, or working on a problem at hand.  You could even meditate in the sun.

Different asanas that you can use include Warrior II, Floor Bow, Challenging Twists, Boat, and setting the navel point.

Love and light,

Chess

Second Chakra

The second chakra is the sacral chakra.  It is also called Svadisthana.  This chakra is located in the lower abdomen and genitals.  The element associated with this chakra is water and the color associated with it is orange.  This chakra brings pleasure, desire, creation and procreation to ones life.

When this chakra is in balance, one can experience a normal sex drive, a strong lower back, good circulation, and hormonal balance, creativity, sensuality, enthusiasm, devotion and charisma.  When it is out of balance, one might experience kidney and bladder conditions, reproductive disorders, an abnormal sex drive, obsession with oneself or money, or a creative block.

If this chakra is out of balance, there are many ways to work on getting it back in balance.  One can use a specific pranayama technique called Nadi Shodhana, which is alternate nostril breathing.  There is focusing on the mandala at the right (link). One might chant the word Vam and meditate.  One could try more physical activities such as swimming, giving or receiving a massage, taking a bath, or even doing something more creative.

Finally, the poses that one might do in yoga that would help balance this chakra include twists and pelvic rotations, cat/cows, frog, reclining bound angle, and omega pose.

Namaste my friends,

Chess

First Chakra

This last week we started learning about the chakras.  There are 7 major ones that run along the spine.  The first one is the root chakra or Muladhara.  It is located at the base of the spine, and usually has a red to brown color.


Muladhara is associated with the Earth element, survival, grounding, instincts, the sense of self, and belonging.

When this chakra is balanced one can experience bowel regularity, a strong lower back, endurance, acceptance, calmness, security, and stability.  When it is out of balance one can experience knee problems, weight issues, constipation, sciatica, rigidity, resentment, insecurity, panic, fear, feeling unsupported or ungrounded.

If one is feeling unbalance here, he or she can work on becoming more balanced through meditation, asana (yoga poses), pranayama (breath), chanting,  mandala focus (visual), and exercise.

Through meditation, one would focus on grounding and rooting.  With pranayama, one might focus on the breath and extend the length of exhalation.  The mandala to focus on would be the image provided above (link). Chanting would use the word Lam.  Different types of exercise or activity might include stomping, kicking, jumping, running, sleeping, and being with nature.

Finally, the yoga poses one might use include bridge, locust, head to knee, table, yogic squat, and corpse pose.  Anything that might provide rooting or grounding.  Balance poses might seem counter-intuitive, but they are great for this as well, as one has to root into the earth to remain stable.

Until later,

Chess

First week

I am in the middle of the first week of my yoga teacher training.  So far, we have worked on the sequence a little, getting through the integration.  I have practiced almost every night guiding someone through that.  I am more comfortable with it, and am beginning to get a feel for this.

We are required to take 10 classes at the studio during this course.  I managed to get one in today.  Now, only 9 more to go.

We learned some about the theory of Vinyasa sequencing. I have a better concept of what to put together to create a good flow.  That will take some time and experimentation, but we have a sequence to start out with, which I can always change up a little once I start teaching.

We also started looking at Chakras.  We started off that course of study doing a guided meditation, looking at each of our chakras.  I didn't see anything, but others in the class had more success.  I honestly think Tuesday nights are going to be the hardest (Chakra nights) because I will have already put in a full day at work.  So far we have learned about the first chakra, the root chakra.  Maybe I will do a post on that in a couple of days to see if I can process the information a little more.

For tomorrow, we have to memorize the Sun A section of the sequence so that we can lead it without a book.  That will be a little more difficult.  I feel like my memory is shot anymore.  I already did my little bit of homework we had, responding to a question that was posted in our forum after reading an article.

For Sunday, I need to answer some questions about the book How Yoga Works.  We will be having our first book club.  I completed the book, so I just need to go back through it some to refresh my memory.

Until next time,

Chess

Oh the excitement!

Tomorrow will be my first day of class in the yoga teacher training.  I'm extremely excited and a little nervous.  I can't wait to take this first step and learn so much more about yoga.  I finished the required reading already, and have started on my book for the book report.

I'm a little worried about the sequence we are supposed to have memorized already.  I have a little bit of the beginning memorized, but not all of it.  This is after reviewing it every day for a month.  I talk to one of the instructors about that and she said not to worry, that a lot of people really get it down when they start working through the sequence.  I know I learn best when I actually go through the motions, so maybe I should have been going through the asanas to begin with.  Regardless, I feel a bit better after talking to the instructor about it.

There will be a lot of memorization, on top of other things that I am working on, such as belly dance.  I know it will be a great challenge, and I hope I do well.  I really feel like this is the right time in my life and see things differently now, than in the past when I was contemplating this.  I'm feeling good about this decision.

Namaste my friends,

Chess

Update on the Yoga Teacher Training

Happy New Year everyone!

I have been studying the sequence almost every day, and I now have the first part down.  I struggle only a little with it, so I am planning to move onto the second part, while still reviewing the first.

I have not started on my readings yet.  I was hoping to finish a fantasy book I have been reading by the end of this past year, but still haven't quite finished it.  Once I complete that novel, I will start in on How Yoga Works.  We are required to read at least the first 100 pages by February 2nd.

I will try my best to keep everyone apprised of my journey.

Here's to an awesome 2014!!!

Bright blessings, my friends,

Chess