Breathe Hot Yoga and Bodhi Tree Yoga Centre
Much to her continued happiness and bragging rights, it was my mother who brought me to my first yoga class. As much an effort to get me off the couch as to have me doing something I enjoyed, yoga showed me an outlet for my physical flexibility as well as stretching out those areas commonly plaguing students. After this initial class my practice was all but eliminated until my final year of university, when I found the time to start going to classes again. Starting up again on the mat reminded me of what I felt in my first few classes, and my once-a-week practice expanded into multiple visits to studios. When I convocated (with my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology) and moved home I knew I had to keep yoga an essential element in my life.
In my initial years of practicing I sought out fast-paced classes that kept me moving, flowing, and pushing me into new and challenging areas. While I still explore poses that are inspiring and mind-boggling, I also enjoy grabbing a bolster and a blanket and settling down for a calming restorative practice. I have come to discover that those seemingly simple classes (where you focus on breathing and settling down) can sometimes be more challenging than a steady flow class. If you do not believe me try lying down for a 90-minute savasana (corpse pose) class and stay awake the whole time. You will truly appreciate rest after that.
I never considered being a yoga instructor until I went traveling post-university (where I visited Japan, Thailand, Australia, and the United Kingdom). During that time I had the typical “What do I want to be when I grow up” conversation with myself and I tossed out a few ideas. Besides eventually settling on the idea of something related to the medical community, I also decided being a yoga instructor would fit well into my life. I signed up for a teacher-training course shortly after landing back in Canada and went from there. I since expanded my initial training with a class on yoga adjustments as well as a guided meditation workshop.
What I enjoy about teaching is the balance it brings in my life. I am a full time student right now; most of my day is spent studying, sitting in school, or feeling guilty for not studying. When I am teaching it is my time to put all that aside and focus on working with the students in the room. My (current) ultimate goal is to work as a nurse in paediatric palliative care. The challenges and rewards of this specific area of nursing can be daunting; thus, the idea of being able to teach yoga on the side will aid in keeping the rest of my world steady.
