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If someone had told me 10 years ago that I would become a yoga teacher, I would not have believed them. I graduated from college and went into the computer field as a programmer, then database designer. It was good money, but when my first daughter was born, I put my career on hold and stayed at home. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I love being a mom it is without a doubt the hardest, but most rewarding job in the world. I can’t imagine missing those amazing years. Eventually I went back to work, but it wasn’t the same. I wasn’t the same; something had changed, but I wasn’t sure what.
Shortly thereafter, I took my first yoga class at the urging of my osteopath. It didn’t take long before it began to affect my body and my life, but I was too busy to notice. I had a renewed career, a very active Girl Scout troop (with 20+ very active pre-teens) and a family to care for. Who had time to notice the amazingly subtle effects that yoga creates? I knew that physically I felt better and that the chronic back and shoulder pain I had been living with was barely noticeable, but it was my husband, Paul, who saw the real changes. I guess that’s not unusual. We get swept up in the current of our lives and miss the still places in which to observe ourselves. It’s the people closest to us who can be objective and often know us better than we know ourselves, especially after twenty-nine years. Paul knew I was unhappy at work and had witnessed the subtle and not-so-subtle changes I had experienced through yoga. He convinced me to quit my database job and begin apprenticing and taking teacher trainings.
It’s interesting. Often in life when you change the path on which you’ve been traveling, it can be disconcerting … but this felt right. And it must have been, because opportunities keep appearing along the path. I am grateful to Jenny Otto for helping me begin my journey and to Suzie for her beautiful spirit and for revealing the deeper practices of yoga to me. These practices truly saved me as I tried to safely guide two beautiful girls through their teenage years. It was exciting, terrifying, fun, nerve-wracking, educational and emotionally draining! We all face challenges in our lives and how we meet those challenges often defines who we are. Yoga, both asana and meditation, helped me maintain my balance, emotionally, physically and spiritually during those tumultuous years. It has helped me uncover and rediscover who I am.
With all my heart, I want to thank John Friend and Rod Stryker who continue to inspire me to become a better teacher, my students who are the source of joy in my teaching and most importantly, my family for their constant love and support. Paul, Christy and Danielle you are my world.
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