Saturday, January 18, 2014

My Teachers: Credit Where Credit Is Due

Funny how the same subject comes up in a variety of ways when the right time arises!

Recently, students and other instructors have asked me who teaches and trains me or whose classes I visit when practicing.  It is time to give credit where credit is due.

I have had a lot of teachers over the years.  Honestly, I had a relatively random practice early in my yoga story visiting different classes with anything but consistency.  A serious teacher was far from my mind.  After repeatedly hurting my shoulder, I made the decision to go deeper into my limited yoga practice.

As the proverb declares, the teacher comes when the student is ready.

Teachers emerged, amazing yogis who welcomed me into their classes.  I am grateful to all of them, but there are certain ones whose classes and styles I connected to on a deep heart level.  Why we are drawn to whom we are drawn to as a teacher is one of those mysteries.  Among all these individuals I truly connected with the style.  I owe them a great debt and want to acknowledge them.

First, there is Heather Healey the owner of Mighty Yoga who accepted me as a work study. She gave me a glimpse into some of the practical ins and out of a studio and  helped me feel like I belonged in the greater yoga community.

Enter Jamie Silverstein! She taught several classes at Mighty Yoga  before going on to open her own Seattle studio, The Grinning Yogi.  Jamie's voice even now resonates in my mind during my own classes.  Her constant class advice to go beyond the edge and to spin the kaleidoscope of one's view of life helped me walk past my own limitations and dare to go further in my own journey.

Next comes Anchorage.  Leaving Mighty Yoga was hard.  I loved that studio, but life brings change. This truth is inevitable.  I searched the web and settled on Anchorage Yoga as a studio that had the style closest to what my practice knew and needed.  Ultimately, I would even go on and complete its teacher training program.  Since coming here, this is where I take classes.  But...most of all, I go there because of the owner Katey Inman.   I attend her classes regularly, continue to learn from her and think of her as my primary teacher.  Actually, if wasn't for her training, I probably wouldn't be an instructor.

Thank you dear teachers, those mentioned and all the others!  My heart abounds with gratitude.

Who are your teachers?  Who has furthered your practice and helped you discover your yoga story. Maybe, its time to give the credit where the credit is due.

Namaste!






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