Why Yoga?

A few years ago, I was taking an online business course and one of the modules included a TED Talk by Simon Sinek titled  "How Great Leaders Inspire Action"  - his talk and quit frankly his lovely accent - stirred something in me.  Quickly, I turned my focus to my husband's business and worked on a complete overhaul and rebrand of his company - because - it is so much easier to focus on someone else rather than myself.

This was a few years ago and I still struggle vocalizing and clarifying WHY I do what I do.

I know why I teach YOGA - I just haven't been able to put it into 500 words or less.  But here is the basic gist of how yoga came into my life and why I do what I do.

My intention is help people reunite with their body, mind and soul.  

Why is this important?  

Because we have disconnected with ourselves.  We have numbed out all feeling and live in a fear based society.  We need to feel every emotion that greets us at the door - even though we may want to slam the door in griefs face.  

We must welcome each one and acknowledge why they have come to visit.

Yoga entered in my life when I decided to compete - my husband would not use that word for my efforts - let's say participate in Triathlons.  I went all in with these Triathlons.  Ordered magazines, took swim lessons, and began a training regiment.  I was reading an article in a Triathlon magazine that talked about the five disciplines of triathlon.  Of course the three obvious - swimming, running, and biking.  The other two were nutrition and yoga.  I was intrigued.  Since the Triathlon magazine told me that Yoga was a discipline of participation, then I must go to Yoga.

I stumbled into a small studio in downtown CDA feeling very anxious and nervous.  I had NO clue what I was getting myself into.  I placed my mat at the very back corner - closest to the door - in case I needed to escape.  As class began, I thought I had been taken to a tortuous place where my yoga mat turned into some cruel form of Twister.  Right hand here, left hand there, now move your right foot here and then take your left foot behind your head.  I can honestly say, the class was one of the most difficult things I had ever done.  Just when I thought I would try to sneak out the door, the teacher instructed us to lay down on our backs, close our eyes and relax.

As I closed my eyes, a feeling of satisfaction and relief washed over me.  I was unsure about why we were all laying down and resting after our yoga practice - but at the moment it just felt good to lay still and reflect on the last 60 minutes.  I remember very clearly thinking - ok Lisa - wow - that was hard - but this laying down stuff is great and I feel pretty good right now - let's try this again.  So, I did.  That's how yoga came into my life.

Yoga is a journey.  My practice was deepening and my craving for more was getting stronger.  I was voicing this to a friend one day and her response was, "why don't you do a yoga teacher training program?"  Really???  You can do that?  It had never dawned on me that I could attend a Yoga Teacher Training Program.

Two weeks later, I was at my first teacher training in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Funny how that training appeared just when I needed it.  Attending this training allowed me to spend Father's Day with my Dad that year - it was the last Father's Day I would be able to spend with him.  There are NO coincidences.

That first training had me hooked.  Slowly, biking, swimming and running began to dissipate from my life and yoga entered in in full-swing.  I immersed myself in learning all that I could.  I couldn't get enough.  Along the journey, I met some pretty amazing souls.  Forever, grateful - and the awesome thing is - amazing souls pop into my life regularly thank you to yoga.

Yoga is a way for me to share my passion about feeling good in the body that you have been blessed with.  I am completely fulfilled and brimming with gratitude when I can visually see my students "let go" in a yoga practice.  It's an awakening.  It's a shedding.  It is art.  It is beautiful.

We are all seeking for that one size fits all feel good yumminess - I truly believe - yoga is one size fits all.  It comes in many different shapes, colors, textures, forms, teachers and gloriousness - but in the end - yoga helps to reunite and "yoke" the body, mind and soul.

#yoga #thepowerofwhy