First the bad news. . . Friday, August 30th will be my last Candlelight Yoga class at Zeal Yoga and the last weekly public yoga class I’ll be teaching (for now).
To call this bittersweet wouldn’t even scratch the surface of the pile of emotions this decision stirs up in me.
I NEVER thought I’d be a yoga teacher. Even when I took a month off of work and showed up day after day for an intense teacher training program with Ana Forrest in San Francisco, I had no intention or desire to ever teach a class.
Yoga had given me so much. It taught me how to breathe (which was surprisingly a lot harder than that sounds), it taught me how to be still and deal rather than denying or distracting myself from my feelings. It taught me to appreciate my body and my story. It challenged me to be a better person – not the perfect ideal I had long aspired to but to be a better, more authentic version of me. I signed up for teacher training because self-evolution is addictive - I wanted more of that.
As is usually the case though, the universe had other ideas for me and soon after completing my training, I began teaching a weekly class at my local studio. Then another and another. . . Then I became a Pilates instructor. . . Then I moved to Florida and became a full-time teacher.
When I look back now, I see the path that was guiding me here all along yet I still shake my head in wonder at how it all came to be.
Core Elements, Jupiter, FL
The same journey that brought me to yoga and to teaching is now pulling in a slightly different direction. Pilates has become an increasingly larger part of my life and teaching. 10 years ago it got me out of pain when nothing else would and it’s now enabled me to share that same experience with others while creating an enriching and sustainable living for myself.
As of Septmeber, I’ll be spending most of my time at Core Elements offering private sessions and small group classes.
If you’ve never tried Pilates, PLEASE DO! (and not just because I want to see you ;) It’s magical stuff!
One of the wonderful things about Pilates is how adaptable the workout is to YOUR unique body and goals. Whether you were just released from Physical Therapy and not sure how to safely get back to your exercise routine or are already active and looking for ways to improve your strength, flexibility, or athletic performance, while reducing recovery time and preventing injury - Pilates can help.
By building awareness of your movement patterns you'll notice additional benefits throughout your day including better balance, improved posture, reduced aches and pains and more ease as you move through your daily activities.
Though yoga has slowly become a smaller and smaller part of what I teach, it holds such a special place in my heart. I’ll continue to offer private sessions and special classes such as Yoga Nidra and Restorative Yoga (likely monthly) but this month will mark the end of my weekly classes (for now).
It’s not goodbye, just so long for now.
THANK YOU to all of you who have joined me weekly, monthly or just once or twice at a class or workshop. I’m so grateful to call many of you friends and hope I’ll still see your faces, whether you join me at Pilates or just around town.