This blog was written by Jessika who recently completed her yoga teacher training and is an educator at our Vaughan Mill's lululemon.
Be the change. - Gandhi
When I decided to take my yoga teacher training I tried to put my expectations on a leash. I tried not to imagine all the wonderful changes that would occur; I tried not to focus on what a present, calm, ideal yogi I would become. I tried.
Expectations are the fastest way to set yourself up for disappointment. The path of yoga is not about what you were or what you will become; it's about being present in each moment. There's no easy path to become the person you aspire to be, but with a conscious mind and open heart you can learn to accept yourself as you are and let that love and acceptance help you grow.
I recently went for some spiritual counseling from a yogini. What struck me the most was learning that I don't need to "figure it all out". My dharma or duty was to simply bring gratitude and contentment into my daily life. It doesn't matter if I hit the mat every day (especially if I stress myself to get there). What matters most is taking the lessons I learn from yoga and applying them to my every day life off of the mat - to respect the earth, to remember that we are all one, to believe in my divinity and that of those around me, to be truthful, and to follow the Yamas (guidelines on how to treat others and interact with society) and Niyamas (guidelines on how to treat yourself).
Since that visit I have told myself daily what I am grateful for, even if all I can think of in that moment is remembering to be grateful in the first place. This small change has caused a ripple affect in my life. The veil of expectation has been lifted and I accept that I am exactly where I need to be in life in this very moment. I also accept that though I may forget from time to time - I am divine. We all are. It is simply our duty to remember.
Read about the great gratitude for yoga teachers like Jessika in our blog post My Love Affair with the Yoga Teachers of the World.
