May, 2020
“Like a TREE, you HAVE to find your roots AND THEN YOU CAN bend in the wind” Angela Farmer
On the very first day of my training, as we sat in a circle, my teacher spoke the words... “ we are all here this evening because at one point in our journey a seed was planted” he couldn't have been more right!
Throughout my yoga journey, a seed was certainly planted. I began to grow in many ways as I sat in stillness with myself every time I stepped onto my mat. This seed eventually sprouted and took root, and several months later I found myself committing to a yoga teacher training. I just had no idea how much it would change my life, how much it would make me more aware of my inner thoughts, and my views of certain things. Yes, this training has certainly changed me forever.
This journey was just the beginning for me. I had an open-mind & heart. I also had the willingness to commit to learning, I was curious, and this is why I will forever consider myself a student of yoga. There is so much more beyond the physical asana of this practice and I feel this way every time I practice.
My decision to commit to a yoga teacher training was a very personal one. The thought of enrolling in this training to become a yoga instructor was far from my mind. The peace, joy, and comfort I found with myself when I practiced on my mat daily was something I knew I didn’t want to loose. This journey was mine, to focus on me. My number one goal in enrolling in this training was to deepen my awareness and to gain more knowledge of this beautiful practice called yoga. Although I had to arrange my life in many ways to commit to 200 hours of this training, I have NO regrets whats so ever. I was able to gain an in depth experience to this practice. For each asana ( pose ) I learned safety precautions, modifications, duration, and how to guide and teach a posture. I learned how to practice and teach meditation and breathe work (pranayama ),which is the foundation of yoga. I was taught and tested on the human anatomy scripture study and SO much more.
It was a transformational experience. I gained an intimate, close connection to 24 amazing human beings, who now are considered to my yoga family. It was an experience that I will cherish forever.
During our very training together, we spoke about our weekends and months to come… and what was expected of us. However, we could not have imagined our training, our graduation ending the way it had to.
On our calendars, April 23rd would have been our long weekend together, which would have included all of us to lead an hour long yoga class as a part of our yoga teacher exam… this would have also been the beginning of our retreat… a special graduation weekend to finalize our time together.
Until the unknown hit us…in March the coronavirus pandemic landed upon us, leaving all of us uncertain of what was to come. In spite of it all, our amazing teachers kept us connected. Weekly, we all logged in for our class via Zoom…. most of us using this platform for the first time ever. Our zoom gatherings became my place of solace. We continued to hold space for one another, discussed the yoga sutras, practiced pranayama, dissecting the asanas and of course checking in with one another which helped put life’s challenges into perspective. Over the course of those 3 months my teachers and yoga family held each other in a community. We celebrated birthdays, anniversary’s, we listened to one another’s challenges with our children’s on-line learning, we cried through a health diagnosis of a close friend, and prayed for a loved ones death. 💙 Most importantly, we held each other accountable by meeting online between classes. Despite the many challenges that came from the pandemic, it was still possible to cultivate peace and we thrived as a yoga family with the tools we have been taught and continued to learn.
As the weeks and months passed, it was clear we would have to postpone our retreat and finish our training, leaving us to ultimately graduate together via Zoom. This was very new to many of us, including myself, it was a unique experience to say the least. We were all able to tap into our discomforts which in turn made us stronger and more confident.
Leading to our final exam and graduation, our final training meets were very unique to say the least. Us as students and our teachers had opened our personal spaces, our living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms to each other and our partners. Children and pets also made apperances during those zoom meetings. 😊 While the physical distance was certainly felt, the online interaction created an intimate look into each others lives.
Most importantly, our lockdown touched on the basic principal of yoga- which is stillness. Social distancing, self-isolation, and limited travel with everyone defiantly offered more opportunity for stillness.
(My intimate view) Even as hard wounds bubbled up inside of me as a result of this inactivity, the support of this beautiful group of yogis, and the tools this training offered me was more than what I could have asked for. This stillness with myself ( with the help of my yoga practice ) helped me to face and overcome many of my challenges & discomforts that I held deep down inside of me, as I was moving through the my own grief.
Completing this training via Zoom during a time of pain and uncertainly of our world required a lot more from me, more of commitment, more perserverance, more patience, more self-discipline, more self-love, more self-acceptance, and most importantly, it required the support of this close community.
We did it! We practiced and taught our final teach via Zoom 😀 WE GRADUATED!!!
There were many challenges along the way, for some it was the discomfort of being seen on video, or the challenge of learning to navigate technology but, whatever the challenge may have been together we moved through it. We all landed on the other side of fear which in turn only made us that much stronger.
Our last zoom meet was bittersweet. We celebrated with each other all while acknowledging the end of our regular zoom meeting times with one another.
Together we finished as we brought the LIGHT of YOGA into the world. 🕉
Sending you Love & Light
From my heart to yours, Stacey
