Why I Do What I Do

One of the first classes I taught when I began teaching yoga was as a substitue teacher for an Ashtanga based class.  Prior to this, I had only taught a couple of Chakra karma classes at this particular studio in order to get experience and see if this “yoga teaching thing” was something I really wanted to do. When one of the students arrived, she saw me sitting behind the desk, asked if I was subbing and then said “You’re not doing any of that chakra stuff, are you?” (clearly not wanting to be involved in practicing any of that “chakra stuff").  First, I assured her that for an Ashtanga based class I would be teaching Ashtanga and that I had a strong background in this style of yoga.  After she was satisfied and had headed into the studio, I started to feel a bit offended.  She had been to one of my karma classes, didn’t she see how wonderful and holistic this practice is?  As I reflected further, I realized she had every right to this opinion.  Hadn’t I been to classes that didn’t resonate for me?  Hadn’t I tried different practices and teachers that I didn’t enjoy for whatever reason?  I had finally found my path.  I was discovering more and more what brought me to life, but it didn’t mean that it was everyone else’s path or that it would have the same effect on them. 

This brief interaction at the beginning of my yoga teaching career allowed me to come to a very simple, yet profound understanding for me at the time, and it is something I base all of my teaching on.  I teach the practices and techniques that have been beneficial for me and have enhanced my life.  I originally fell in love with yoga for the physical aspects.  Slowly, yoga started to transform my body, mind and emotions.  At a crucial period in my life, yoga healed me.  Everything I teach or do in class is something that I have had personal experience with as a student, has excited me and ideally I've developed a strong foundation in – chakra yoga, 108 sun salutes, vinyasa flow, yin yoga, assisting, etc.

So what does this have to do with my upcoming Chakra series?  I came across an interesting article about the chakras recently which states that “every book on the chakras presents only one possible model." Like yoga, there are many different systems, theories, practices, paths, etc.  I will not say that one is better than the other.  I don’t have experience with other systems.  But, I will say that the system I teach (from Pyramid Yoga based on Gitananda yoga) has had a deep effect on me.  Come out to see what this fuss is about!  Maybe it will be your thing.  Maybe it won’t. But, unless you give it a try . . . . you’ll never know for sure!

	Garden of Breathin	Yoga You4ia
Introduction	Sept. 7, 5:30-6:45
Root Chakra	Sept. 14, 5:30-6:45	Sept. 11, 5:30-6:45
Sacral Chakra	Sept. 21, 5:30-6:45	Sept. 18, 5:30-6:45
Solar Plexus Chakra	Sept. 28, 5:30-6:45	Sept. 25, 5:30-6:45
Heart Chakra	Oct. 5, 5:30-6:45	Oct. 2, 5:30-6:45
Throat Chakra	Oct. 12, 5:30-6:45	Oct. 16, 5:30-6:45
Third Eye Chakra	Oct. 19, 5:30-6:45	Oct. 23, 5:30-6:45
Crown Chakra	Oct. 26, 5:30-6:45	Oct. 30, 5:30-6:45