Yoga Transcends Disciplines

I appreciate how writers are able to create parallels between seemingly unrelated concepts. I love and live yoga and business/marketing, so this piece easily caught my attention on my morning commute to work.

Here, a Fast Company writer was able to bridge yoga and business in her article, "Namaste! 5 Hot Leadership Lessons From The Moksha Yoga Studio." The five lessons are:

1. Don't ask "If?"--ask "When?" and "How?"
2. Recognize obstacles and strategically overcome them
3. Create a solid foundation, then add finesse
4. Don't lose sight of how far you've come
5. Ignore those around you, they won't make your practice better

I encourage you to read the article for the major takeaway.

The writer's tag is "150 classes, 102 degrees, 1 business writer." These are numbers I can relate to after a 200-hour yoga teacher training certification, more heat and humidity than I want to measure...and the number one.

The concept of oneness resonates through the practice of yoga. After all, the Sanskrit word yoga means to join or to unite. In a yoga class, you can think of it as the joining together of spirits in the studio to form one community. In individual practice, you might think of it as the one [you] on your mat in this one present moment.

In business, I think of many parts working toward one goal. And as related to my work at Regis University on the brand marketing team, it made me think of our "One Regis Branding Together" blog about the brand study that the university embarked on in April 2012.

So that's how I've come to the conclusion that yoga and oneness can transcend disciplines.

Yoga Teaching Inspiration @ 24 Hour Fitness

Unemployment in the wintertime has lead me to snowboard a lot this week. Snowboarding has lead my body to ache a lot more than usual this week. You know where I'm going with this: snowboarding >> body aching >> hello, YOGA!

There is something casual and comfortable about practicing yoga at a gym that I really appreciate. I like the balanced mix of people wearing simply comfy-looking generic clothing and people wearing lululemon. Gym yoga classes seem to be more diverse, by demographic and by skill level. The desire to learn in these gym classes is very high. I dig that. It's good energy, don't you think?

The teacher dimmed the lights and introduced herself. What a coincidence! It was Tracy, one of my fellow CorePower teacher trainees. I had spent hours with Tracy practicing teaching and assisting during training. I liked her as a person and I liked her yoga teaching style. She always had a nurturing, motherly aura about her. Before she announced it to the class, I noticed that she is pregnant. Ah, how fitting.

Okay, confession time. Yes, I completed yoga teacher training in the summer/fall of 2008. Yes, it is 2010 and I am still not "officially" teaching anywhere. Yes, I admit, I am chicken. I should have tested out with CorePower long ago. I spend three hours a week volunteering at the studio, for goodness sake. My intention is there. My confidence has not matched that intention...yet.

Okay, Universe, I hear you, again. Of course, I spoke to Tracy after class to catch up. Tracy encouraged me to move forward with teaching. With warm words, she reminded me of the progress that I made as we practiced during teacher training. Without words, she reminded me why I joined teacher training in the first place. I know I have it in me to be a good yoga teacher. I also know that I have it in me to grow as yogi through my teaching experience, just as I have through my training experience.

And so, one of my New Years resolutions was born, to find the courage to pursue teaching yoga in 2010. Thanks, Tracy! Thanks, Universe.

Change in Yoga Trade @ CorePower Broadway Studio

Mid-summer, Lisa moved on to a new and exciting opportunity with CorePower in the northwest region. This left me without a mentor to report to for my yoga trade. I emailed Lisa for a referral, and a bit later, I was in contact with the new Broadway studio manager, Julie G.

I wrote to my non-yogi friend in excitement: "I met with the new yoga studio manager this morning! She's energetic and enthusiastic and just getting started reorganizing the workforce at the studio. I'm excited because it sounds like she plans on using me for her marketing efforts and other less-menial work. Could turn out to be a more meaningful volunteer experience than I anticipated!"

Yoga Trade @ CorePower Broadway Studio

After Extensions, Meghan B, the studio manager at the Grant Studio, presented a yoga trade opportunity to the alumni--volunteer work at the studio for a free yoga membership.

During the busy season the studio needed support to greet and check-in students to classes. It was an opportunity to be present at the studios and learn the computer system. In January, I started volunteering once a week at the Broadway Studio under Lisa S, the studio manager.

I have to admit--at first it was completely nerve-wracking, the exact opposite of yoga! There were forty-plus people checking in for classes. Week after week, without fail, there was a challenging combination of new student registrations, complex split payments, drop-in payments and retail sales. For the first three weeks, I dreaded going in for my volunteer shift. I feared the chaos. I assumed there would be one type of transaction that I did not know how to perform in the MindBody business management system...yet, of course.

I should have remembered from training that doing things out of fear rather than love can be a painful experience! At first, my yoga trade experience was ten times more stressful than my full-time job or teaching yoga to newbies, computer programmers. Eventually, I made amends with the non-intuitive MindBody system. In addition, I got acquainted with various yoga teachers at the Broadway studio. I let go, and finally, yoga trade was able to become a positive experience for me.

Teaching Yoga @ Useful Networks

In August, I met Genie at a mutual friend's birthday party in downtown Denver. She was friendly and energetic. We met while I was deep in yoga teacher training mode. Genie is all about creating opportunity. She encouraged me to teach lunchtime yoga at her workplace, Useful Networks, once a week. The programmers could use a yoga break and I could use the teaching practice. Of course, I accepted the generous offer!

Thirty-minute classes were challenging. I needed to take these programmers away from their world of code and move them into a relaxing place for them to really experience yoga. Most of the participants were completely new to yoga. Some had practiced yoga regularly for some time. Each week, there would be some familiar faces and some new faces. Overall, I could see a general improvement and increased enjoyment over time--in my students and in myself. Over time, I felt more comfortable to play with the sequence, the music and the theme.

One of my favorite classes was my 'memories of Costa Rica' theme. To celebrate my thirtieth birthday, I traveled to Costa Rica with my family. My theme covered rainforest animals. I had my class flying like birds (in prayer twists) and swinging like a monkeys (in gorilla pose). My goals were to bring awareness to spinal movement and lengthening, and to present modifications, such as flying during revolving crescent lunge, in a playful way. The theme for this class came from a genuine place, and it felt great!

Teaching a Donation Yoga Class @ CorePower Grant Studio

I was set to teach Sun Salutation A in a round-robin donation class. The Extension Teacher Trainers were leading a special class for a non-profit cause, Yoga for the People. The yoga studio was packed with high-visibility CorePower staff members, fellow Extension students, friends and other eager yogis. My breathing was labored. My body was tense.

Marley could innately sense how nervous I was. Right before my turn in the round robin, she placed her hands on my shoulders, and suddenly, like magic, I just felt better. I found my seat as a teacher and my Sun A went as smoothly as I could have visualized it. I could see the room was mat-to-mat in the front mirror, but my intention to set the tone for the rest of the class held true. I was grateful for my Extensions experience, and that gratitude was able to shine through in my cues. After class, Marley acknowledged how quickly I made the transformation right before it was my turn to teach and I acknowledged how powerful her encouragement as a teacher was. Namaste!

Yoga Teacher Training Extensions - Group Meeting

Marisa was absent on Sunday, so Monday night was the first time we met with her. I was feeling out of sorts. I realized it was the time of day that was throwing me. I had to quiet my mind from the day of work and commuting and I was having a lot of trouble. I couldn't focus on teaching. I forgot the names of body parts, the names of poses. I left like I had undergone a partial lobotomy, and somehow survived. I promised the group I'd be my better self next time.