A Yogi in Paris

Disclaimer: yoga is only mentioned a few times - this is really just an abridged version of my journal from my recent trip to France

May 16
Well... I'm in Paris! Bridget and I arrived at CDG around 8:30am, were picked up by an escort and taken to our apartment, and were met at the apartment by our landlady.  I hope everyone here is like her.  She was absolutely adorable, and welcoming.  She arrived at the apartment out of breath from rushing to get there and then spoke this half-French/half-English combination while showing us around the apartment and even around our neighborhood!  We've not done much since checking in.  We're jet lagged and just settling for now.  We did buy groceries, though.  Nutella comes in a pretty little glass here - we plan on saving them as we go and bringing them home with us.

May 17
We took a walk today - got a little lost but it really wasn't such a big deal.  We found lots of little shops and came out with a couple of pieces of clothing - a dress for me, a cardigan for Bridget.  Then we stopped at a boulangerie and had delicious deliciousness.  These are the memories I was hoping for - memories of experiencing life in Paris.  I'm here to experience everything I can, both normal everyday things and grand and exciting things.  Today I wandered around the streets of Paris and bought a couple of things while practicing my French.  Another day, I'll visit the Louvre.  They're quite different experiences but equally wonderful.

May 18
Today we went to the Champs Elysees and the Eiffel Tower.  We literally walked for 7 hours straight and came home exhausted with very sore feet!  We plan to go south at some point, so we bought swimsuits at the Monoprix at Champs Elysees.  There was a protest at the Eiffel Tower - something to do with mistreatment of Muslims - interesting for me since I've never really seen a protest in-person until now.  I'm told there are lots of protests here, though.  I've also noticed there are lots of beggars and street performers.  I much prefer the street performers & will gladly give them a euro if they're entertaining.  The seemingly homeless beggars are more difficult, though.  There are so many of them and I don't know their stories.  It's difficult to know if I'd really be helping them or not by giving them a bit of change.  I'm not afraid of them.  There are lots of people around always and someone would answer if I yelled au secours.  Besides, security is everywhere.  But, I can't afford to help them all and since I don't know what they use their money for I don't have any way of knowing if lending change would help or hurt them.  Lots of them have dogs, too.  I can understand loving a pet, but I wonder if they're there because they're beloved pets or if they're there to be the bread winners.  Poor pups.   Is this socialism?

May 19
Today, we went to mass.  Bridget is Catholic.  I'm not but I've been to plenty of Catholic services in the US and, as I said in a previous entry, I want to experience everything.  It was - like many of the churches here - huge, old, and beautiful.  The stained glass was especially lovely.  The altar girl looked like Anne Frank.  It was exactly like mass in the States, so I've had my fill.  I wish we had done more than just go to mass.  Bridget didn't want to go back out after lunch and I really didn't want to go out by myself.

May 20
I'm alone at a cafe called Cafe la Fusee.  That means "Rocket Cafe."  Isn't that cute?  It's quite near our apartment.  Other than the time I went out to buy some soy sauce, this is the first time I've been out alone in Paris.  Apparently, Bridget and I had different ideas about how we wanted to travel and didn't even know it.  I want to go everywhere and see everything and she's content just to be here.  I am very glad to be here but can't imagine being here and not seeing here!  Of course, she's been here and has seen the main attractions before.  Since she studied in Dijon, I didn't know she had spent time in Paris.  Anyway, so I thought we'd be going lots of places together but it looks like I'm going to be on my own a lot of the time.  That's a bit intimidating - since I'm in a foreign place with nobody - so I'm just starting with a coffee outing.  I'm sipping a cafe au lait and simply enjoying my surroundings and journaling.  A hot coffee is especially nice since it's a bit chilly outside!  And rainy too.  I plan to sit here a bit longer and read.. and listen to people talk.

We went to the Jewish Museum of Paris.  It was free since we are considered youth here (I think it's 25 or younger).  We accidentally entered the exhibit, though, but quickly found our way back to where we were supposed to be - general admission.  Mostly, it was full of relics: books, clothing, menorahs, pictures, groggers, etc.  I love old things, especially fine things, and much of these relics were fine.  The menorahs - actually chanukias - were my favorite.  They were from all around the world - mostly Europe - and were all so intricately designed and so different from one another.  Oh, and I bought the French edition of Anne Frank's journal.

I then went out alone in search of the temple.  I asked where it was when I visited the Jewish museum.  Apparently, we are about 15 minutes - walking distance - from the Marais.  That's the historically Jewish area and the not-so-historically gay area.  Go figure!  It started pouring about halfway there, but I decided if I was going to get soaked I might as well get soaked doing what I set out to do.  I found the Marais, for sure.  I'm talking more than one place with 'falafel' in the name, a kosher pizza joint, hassidic-looking individuals, etc.  And then I found the temple.  It's large and gated.  I guess it's not safe to be Jewish anywhere.  I don't think I will go there while I'm here.  Like I said, the surrounding neighborhood was obviously Jewish.  I feel a connection to the neighborhood and the people because they're Jewish and I'm Jewish, but it all seems very Orthodox - even more Orthodox than American Orthodoxy - and as a Reform Jew I probably wouldn't feel very comfortable there.  I wouldn't know what to do: when to bow, where to sit, what to wear, etc.  I think I'll look into some yoga classes - yoga can't be so different, and I need community.

May 22
Today we traveled to Marseille.  We got lost on our way from the train station to the hostel and ended up walking around for nearly 3 hours when it was supposed to be a 20 minute walk.  Now we are finally here - at the hostel - and tired!  It's decent.  There are 5 beds in our room and I'm not sure how many rooms.  Our roommates are Marcius (Polish), Emma (English), and a guy who is already sleeping but whose book has a German title, so I'll assume he's German.  We plan to just find some dinner and get some sleep tonight and we'll catch the 10am bus to the beach.

May 23
We caught the 10am bus to David Beach - the Mediterranean - and had a great time!  It was very windy and the water was cold, but the scenery was beautiful and the air smelled of the sea.  We were pleasantly surprised that there were mountains by the sea!  So, we sunbathed and waded and did some yoga and enjoyed the moment.  There was a copy of the famous David statue on the beach.  We met an Italian musician named Mathieu who is currently working in Marseille.  It's cool to meet people from all over Europe, even if it's just a brief encounter.  Their world is certainly smaller than ours.  We are now back in Paris.

May 24
Today we went shopping for groceries and warm clothing.  I found a purse, an umbrella, and some long-sleeved shirts - no luck on a coat but I'll keep looking.  Bridget found one that'll work for her, though.  A guy was kicked out of the grocery store today while we were there.  We overheard someone say that the same guy had shoplifted from there last night and they remembered him.  He was standing in front of us in line with a bottle of wine and the manager snatched the bottle away from him and made him leave.

May 25
I've seen interesting things today, which I'll now list:
-couple kissing on a moving sidewalk in the metro
-guy playing guitar in the metro station
-guy reading sheets of music on the metro
-little boy with a scooter on the metro
- lady playing accordion in Montmartre
-guy stunting in Montmartre
-dogs following their owners with no leashes
** - best one: guy playing a drum while riding his bike with a guitar strapped over his shoulder

Today we went to Montmartre.  We went in the Basilica and the courtyard of some other church.  We stayed for a while to take in the beautiful view of Paris that can be seen from the top of the hill in Montmartre.  We bought pralines on the street and they were wonderful.  However, Bridget thinks they must have contained a corn product because she's not feeling well now.  I managed to find a coat in a consignment shop in Montmartre and I bought some hiking boots at the same consignment shop since we plan on visiting the Alps soon.  We came back early since B didn't feel well, so I went back out to watch a movie.  Our metro station is also an underground mall/movie theater.  I watched a comedy titled Les Profs.  I was able to understand the majority of it.  It was funny - in a corny way.  After the film, I meandered around for a bit and finally landed back at the apartment.

May 26
I'm sitting at a little sidewalk cafe called Serda.  There's a cafe downtown where I'm from called Serda.  I'm enjoying an herbal tea & a Nutella-Coco crepe.  It's a lovely Sunday evening and it's about 10pm.  The crepes at this cafe are made outside by this guy at a little booth.  I'm sitting near the booth so I get to see him make the crepes and greet everyone who goes by.  This is a nice little spot to people-watch from.  It's busy here, even at 10pm on a Sunday night.  Aside from people-watching, I also like to close my eyes and listen to the sounds of places.  The sounds at Serda tonight include a murmur of speech - mostly French but not always, sounds of laughter, sounds of people walking by, the rare car engine, and the clanking of dishes coming from the cafe and nearby restaurants and bars.  It's hard to believe I'm actually here.  This is so different from what I'm used to at home, yet it feels so normal - so natural.  It's odd to take a moment and realize I'm actually eating a French crepe in France and ordered it in French!  Oh hey, I just gave 2 euros to a beggar.  She said she needed 2 more euros to afford a cheese crepe and I figured why not.  She did actually go directly to the crepe stand, so I guess that's my good deed for the evening.  It doesn't get dark here until after 10, really about 10:30.  The sky is a deep dark blue right now, but bright.  Everything is still open and the streetlights are on, so the street is well-lit as well.  Hmm..  I wonder what vin chaud is...  It's on the menu - do they really serve hot wine?  I guess that makes sense since it's cold..

Earlier today we went to a cute little suburb of Paris called Neuville sur-Oise.  There's a university there: Universite de Cergy-Pontoise & there's a river there too: the Oise River. There are adorable homes with gates covered in vines and with colorful gardens in their yards.  We found a walking path running along the river that was absolutely beautiful.  The river was on one side of the path and crops were on the other side.  There was greenery everywhere and it was quite picturesque.  And to think, the trail is still under construction!  Once completed, the trail will go along one side of the river, will cross to the other side, and will come back down the river along the other side.  So essentially it will be one large rectangular path which will begin and end in the same spot.  For now, it only goes along one side of the river, so when we got to the end we turned around and went back the way we came.

As I was sitting at the cafe journaling, a young man walked by.  Then he came back by and started talking to me.  He asked my permission to sit at my table and ordered an Orangina - we just talked for a bit.  I started getting chilly so he asked if I'd like to go to a restaurant bar in Passage Moliere & join him and his friends inside.  Passage Moliere is like 2 blocks from my apartment, which means it's also very close to Serda, so I went with him.  The guy's name is Ali and I enjoyed hanging out with him & the other guys at the restaurant/bar.  One of his friends works at the restaurant.  I was there with them for nearly 2 hours and spoke French the whole time.  They treated me to a couple of glasses of wine and told me to come back any time.  When it was time to close, I helped bring in some chairs and Ali plus the friend who works at the restaurant walked me to my door.

May 27
Today we went to the Latin Quarter.  We saw the outside of the Pantheon and a nearby law school, we walked through the Jardin Luxembourg, and then we found a place to sit and read in the garden.  The garden was exquisite and calm.  In the garden, there's a miniature Statue of Liberty which was used by the sculptor as a model for the famous statue in New York.  That was a kind of cool thing to see on Memorial Day.

May 28
Today was mostly a lazy day.  I was cooped up in the apartment all day so I decided to go to yoga this evening.  I found a place online and went to their 7:45pm class.  The teacher, Michelle, is an ERYT-500 who is originally from San Francisco but who moved to Paris from New York 12 years ago.  It was an inversions-themed class & was particularly freeing after having not been to class for a couple of weeks!  Michelle seems like a kind spirit, and I was glad to find out she's at least as equally spiritually/mentally-focused as she is physically focused.  I'll go back there.  It's not even a 10 minute walk from my apartment and it's nice to have a yoga community.

May 29
Today we washed our towels at the laundromat and went grocery shopping.  I went out for a walk.  I noticed a group of young people standing & sitting around the front of the Pompidou and walked closer to find out a group of guys was singing/playing guitar, so I sat around and watched for a while.  Once I grew tired of that, I walked to the Seine.  I spent some time at the Love Lock Bridge.  It's cheesy, but I really love that bridge and hope to connect a lock to it before I go back home.  I'll have to do it by myself or find someone who's interested, because Bridget is not.  When it started raining I headed home, and then my umbrella broke.  Then, I went way too far in the wrong direction and ended up going all the way to the Louvre.  So, I decided to just take the metro back.  I was soaking wet by the time I reached the station - the vender at the ticket both handed me about half a roll of paper towels.  I luckily asked the best possible couple which line I should take.  I had to switch lines a couple of times and they switched with me just to show me where to go!  They were so kind.

May 30
Today, Bridget and I walked to the Pompidou planning to go in, but then she decided she didn't want to do that after all so we decided on trying vin chaud as our plan B.  Serda said something about not having the machine ready or something like that, so we had crepes and other hot beverages (tea for me, hot chocolate for her).  Then we attempted to visit the Victor Hugo museum but by the time we got there they were 1 minute from closing.  So, we found out their hours.  It was pouring rain on our way back home, so after drying off I went to yoga.  Luckily, it was not still raining when I walked to yoga.

May 31
Kristi Williams is in town.  She's staying with a friend and his family this weekend.  The friend - Arthur - and the two of us went to the Louvre, the Pompidou, and Notre Dame today.  The Louvre is HUGE!  You really can only explore one wing in a day.  We, of course, made our way to La Jaconde (the Mona Lisa).  The Pompidou really wasn't all that impressive, especially as a follow-up to the Louvre.  However, the view from the Pompidou was worth the admission.  As for Notre Dame, it was spectacular!  Absolutely gorgeous.  We went to the top.  Some of the gargoyles actually look like the ones from Disney's the Hunchback of Notre Dame.  Arthur says he thinks they were actually modified in order to resemble the characters after the movie came out.  The view from Notre Dame was wonderful as well.  I ended the evening alone in Passage Moliere where I revisited the same restaurant/bar I had been to with Ali.  The waiter friend of Ali's recognized me and sat me down with this nice Swedish (older) guy.  He was very interesting.  He's done lots of traveling, his wife is a yoga teacher, he has a son who's about my age, he collects old American cars, he speaks a ton of languages, etc.  He reminded me of my dad, but probably about 10 or 15 years older and a bit more sophisticated.

June 1
My baby sister turned 14 today!  I'm 7 years older than she is and remember Mom being pregnant with her.  I can't believe she's a full-blown teenager.

I went to Musee d'Orsay and the Pantheon with Kristi and Arthur today.  Musee d'Orsay was fabulous!  Among other things, I got to see works by Monet and Van Gogh in person!  Like... Starry Night!  That was magical.  The Pantheon was interesting.  It's beautiful and the columns and artwork are impressive.  Lots of famous people are buried there - Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, Rousseau, Voltaire, etc.  Actually, Rousseau and Voltaire are buried right across from each other - that makes me giggle.  Voltaire got a statue, though.

June 2
Kristi, Arthur, and I went to Chateau de Vincennes today.  That's where King Henry V lived.  There was a sweet little chapel on site.  We went on a tour of the castle.  Being a medieval castle, it was small and different from everything else I've seen here.  As a bonus, there happened to be a classic car show going on in the courtyard of the castle.

Bridget and I went to the Victor Hugo museum later in the day.  The museum is in his old Parisian apartment.  So, basically we got to walk through Victor Hugo's home.  I'm sure it's been rearranged, but much of his original furniture and other belongings are still in the apartment and on display - including his desk and ink well!

I met my Knoxville cousins for dinner - Lizzi and Missy Noon.  They are visiting some Belgian friends and stopped for a day in Paris on the way.  I only ever see them once a year and this year we did not make the usual arrangement, so it was great to have a chance to catch up with them, and in Paris!

June 3
Today was a much-needed rest day following an abundance of adventure!  I slept in and stayed in my pjs all day up until 6:30pm yoga.  Bridget and I ended the evening with a nice quiet dinner and some wine.

June 4
Bridget and I went to the underground mall today so Bridget could buy the books she needs to read for her thesis.  We went to their Starbucks as well and found out they had a special going on - buy 1 frappe, get 1 free.  After coffee, we went to an exhibit called "1931 Face-Dos-Profil."  It was an exhibit on French fashion in 1931 and it was great!  It's crazy how some of the styles from back then are actually coming back, but not quite as elegantly as before.  There was a black satin evening coat that I just can't get over.  It was so lovely and so... flawless!  Thursday we are going to some other fashion exhibit.  We went to the Pandora store on the way home so I could by a charm for my bracelet - an Eiffel Tower because I'm cheesy.  I love it.  I only wish I actually had my bracelet here!  I'll have my grandmother bring it to the airport.  :)  After we had returned to our apartment and had lunch, our landlady and her husband came over to fix our shower.  We thought the head had broken but apparently it was the neck.  But, they replaced the head as well because it had so much chalk in it - the water here is very hard!

June 5
I went to Bikram yoga today.  I specifically chose a class which the website said would be led in French.  I know the script/sequence pretty well and it was exciting to hear it recited in French.  I find that, at least for me, Bikram is really something I have to plan my whole day around.  First, I have to eat foods and drink fluids that will prepare me for class.  Then I travel to class.  Then I participate in the class.  Then I have to shower after class (trust me - showering is a necessity after Bikram).  Then I travel back home.  Then I've got to wash sweaty laundry.  Then I've got to eat the foods and drink the fluids to make up for the class.  This is why I don't go to this type of yoga class very often, well that and the cost of it.  It's just not possible for a busy student to do this all the time.  So, it was very nice to get to go today!

June 6
Today Bridget and I went to the 2nd fashion exhibit.  It was called Haut Couture.  It was a much larger exhibit and displayed a wider range of items - more variance in both the timeline and the genre.  I love that women wore different elegant gowns at specific times of day.  I'd never want for that type of lifestyle to be expected of me, but it's so interesting - a tea gown, an afternoon gown, and evening gown, etc., and they're all so lovely!

We by chance came across some signs pointing to the Holocaust Memorial of Paris, so we followed the signs.  It is both a memorial and a museum.  I found a cluster of Feibelmans on the wall of the names of those who were deported in 1942.  There weren't Feibelmans on any other walls, so I'm assuming they were all together until the end.  I've looked into it some more and found out they were sent to Auschwitz.

I received an email from Dr. Mark - who is in town - inviting us over to her apartment for cheese and wine, so we did that too.  Her daughter Sheridan & Sheridan's friend Sophie are staying in Paris with her as well.  We had a great time hanging out with them and are planning a trip to Versailles!

June8
Kristi is back in Paris for the weekend and is staying with us.  Today, she and I went to Disneyland in Marne la Vallee..  The last time I went to Disney World in Florida was when I was 9 years old.  I went when I was 2 as well, but don't remember it.  It was fun and exciting to be there!  It was small in comparison to Disney World, which was good for us because it meant we could get around the whole park in one day.  This evening, Bridget, Kristi, Arthur, and I went to the Eiffel Tower.  We went up to the 2nd French floor (3rd floor - about halfway up) and then came down later to see the light show.  Once an hour every hour the tower twinkles for 5 minutes - it looks like glitter.  Not only does the tower itself look like it's covered in glitter, but it reflects on all of the surrounding buildings making all of Paris look like it's covered in sparkling glitter.  This starts at about 11 - when it's dark.

June 9
We went to Versailles with Dr. Mark and her crew today.  Today the crew was extended.  Dr. Mark's friend Sarah is in town now, too.  The main thing we did in Versailles was we visited Chateau de Versailles and the palace gardens.  The castle was huge - quite different from Chateau de Vincennes!  The garden was large as well, and full of fountains and artwork and cute designs in the grass.  We were there for the water show (which means all the fountains were on).  We then went to the Petit Trianon, which is where Marie Antoinette (and others) lived at one point.

June 10
Today I went to the Hard Rock Cafe with Dr. Mark and her crew.  We saw the outside of l'Opera Paris and Galeries Lafayette and bought flower-shaped ice cream cones.

June 11
Bridget and I left Paris this morning for Valence.  Valence is a suburb of the Rhone Alps.  It's actually about an hour away from the Alps by bus.  Our hotel is wonderful - larger than our apartment in Paris!  We didn't expect a kitchen but it has one, equipped with a dishwasher.  Score.  We bought super local wine: Cotes du Rhone.  Tonight we settle in, and tomorrow we hike in the Alps!

June 12
Today we took a bus from Valence to Grenoble.  We hiked to the top of a small mountain which is part of the Rhone Alps range and then took the telepherique down the mountain.  I'm collecting mountains.  I've hiked the Appalachian mountains in 2 different states (GA & NC), I've hiked the red rocks in AZ, and now I've hiked in the French Alps.  I've got lots of mountains left to climb.  ;)  The telepherique was cool.  At the very beginning there was a drop that made my stomach drop as well, but the rest of the ride down was smooth and it was both a great view and a great experience - gliding down a mountain and over a river in a big bubble on a track.

June 13
We hiked a baby trail (compared to the Alps, at least!) in Saint Peray today - that's just about 15 minutes from Valence by bus.  Then, we had a nice long leisurely lunch, and after lunch we headed back to Paris.  Upon our return to Paris, I met Dr. Mark and her crew at the Pompidou and we went to the Love Lock Bridge together - so I did find someone to go with me after all!  We linked all of our locks together - still cheesy, I know.  So, I didn't explain this before: you're supposed to latch a lock onto the bridge and then throw the key into the sea.  The bridge goes over the Seine.  It's something like a permanent symbol of one's love for someone or something.  I've not found that someone yet.. so I just put "someone incredible" on mine.

June 14
We are leaving tomorrow, so much of today has been spent preparing to leave.  We have to wake up very early tomorrow morning (like, 4am) so today we packed all but our toothbrushes pretty much and washed what we could of the things that aren't ours (linens, towels, etc.).  Our landlady met us at the apartment this morning to give us our deposit back and I went to a 12pm yoga class.  We plan on getting to bed pretty early tonight.

Transition is Bittersweet

My life is in transition.

Tomorrow is the last day I will ever work the front desk at the University of South Alabama's Student Recreation Center.  I will only teach 2 more yoga classes and 2 more cycling classes at the USA Rec Center.  In 8 days I will be on a plane headed toward Paris, France.  In 60 days I'm moving to Pensacola, Florida.  In about 3.5 months I will begin my graduate studies at the University of West Florida.  I've been hired as a yoga instructor at UWF's Student Rec Center.  Everything is changing.

While I look forward to all of these exciting things to come (!) I'm also sad to leave my current life behind.  I've grown close to my professors, my coworkers, and my students.  Pensacola isn't so far away, but it will be an adjustment to be 1.5 hours away from my family and friends rather than just 10 or 15 minutes.  I'll miss familiar places and familiar faces.

But, I will find new places which will become cozy and familiar.  I will meet new friends and will visit 'old' ones.  I'll connect with some of my professors, coworkers, and students.  That's just who I am.  I'm an open book - I'm transparent.  I love people, so people love me.

I hope to find a yoga community in Pensacola which is as strong and as welcoming as that in Mobile & Baldwin County.  Yoga has opened many doors for me.  It's connected me with many unique and wonderful individuals, it's provided job opportunities and research opportunities, it's been an interesting conversation piece in my interviews for graduate school, and much, much more.  Yoga and the yoga community have greatly enhanced my life.

I am sad to be leaving my USA students behind.  My students have made personal triumphs right before my eyes and I've developed as a teacher right before theirs.  We've gone through this process together.  I'm forever grateful for their influence on me and can only hope that I've had as much of a positive influence on them.  As I move forward, I hope my students will enjoy their (2!) lovely new teachers and that their teachers will enjoy them as much as I have.  I also hope to feel as welcomed and to seem as welcoming to my new students at UWF.  I appreciate my experiences at USA - all of them - and hope UWF has just as much, and maybe more, to offer.

A big thank you and a hug to all of my family members, students, employers, professors, coworkers, and friends - past, present, and future - who have supported me throughout various points along my journey - in ways you may not even know.  I love you guys.  <3

Evolution as an Instructor

At the beginning of my journey to become a teacher, I had a naive view of yoga - a physical view.  Like many, my definition of yoga only included its physical aspect.  And of course, asana (the practice of postures) is an important part of yoga - especially in the west - but asana is by far not the only important aspect of yoga.  One could teach an entire yoga class on just breathing techniques, for instance!  There's a complex history and philosophy involved in this ancient Indian practice.  People can and have spent their entire lives studying the Sanskrit language!  It's incredible, how many facets of yoga there are!  The physical practice of yoga is much broader than one would assume, as well.

When I began teaching, my attention was mostly focused on the physical aspect of yoga.  I recognized and appreciated the mental benefits, but my focus was on teaching the poses in proper alignment and making sure my students experienced an effective workout.  Even in my own practice, my goals were often physically oriented.  I've found that reaching non-fitness oriented goals can be just as rewarding and that the journey toward the achievement of a goal can be quite rewarding as well.  My most recent realization is that yoga really isn't about making my body fit the yoga.  Rather, it's about making the yoga fit my body and my overall needs.

My newest goal as a teacher is to promote a sense of pride, in each student, for their unique yoga practices.  I wish for my students to realize that it's not all about the poses and it is my goal to offer a style of yoga that is available to people of all shapes, sizes, ages, levels of flexibility, levels of strength, etc.  I cannot wait to see what becomes of this goal.  :)

Team Teaching

Today, I taught a beginner yoga class at the University of South Alabama's Student Recreation Center.  I am working on becoming employed at the rec center and as part of the hiring process the coordinator has potential employees team teach an actual class.  I put much thought into preparing for the class.  I created an initial class plan, asked for feedback from current instructors, and then practiced teaching the class without an audience.

This summer, I've been enrolled in a public speaking course, which is a requirement for graduation.  I've learned a great deal in this course, and I believe it has helped me with the public speaking portion of teaching a yoga class.  One tip I've learned in public speaking is that careful preparation can promote overall success.  Preparation may lessen the intimidation often felt when speaking in public.

It was helpful, as well, that the students in the class I taught today were kind and gentle and understanding of my newness.  Furthermore, their poses were strong and beautiful!  It was rewarding to witness a yoga class in the seat of the teacher - to see an entire class in their various individual expressions of the yoga postures taught today.  I feel very confident about my teaching experience today and I'm excited to team teach again this Thursday!

Strong, Confident, and Ready

Today in teacher training, we practiced teaching sun salutations.

I've known since the beginning of teacher training that becoming comfortable standing in front of a class would be a challenge.  Even more challenging is teaching my teacher!  Until today, I even asked Melanie not to look my way when I would practice teaching to my fellow teachers in training.  However, today I was a bit more comfortable and did not ask her to look away.  I simply took a deep centering breath, looked out at the four people in front of me, and began - strong, confident, and ready.  Sure, I wasn't perfect.  Maybe I never will be.  Maybe I'd rather not be.  I did "mess up" a couple of times - but, I was able to chuckle a little and keep it going.  That's "perfect" enough for me.  I'm not sure what made the difference today, but I'm grateful for whatever it was!

"We only grow when we're uncomfortable where we are."

Near the end of each teacher training weekend, I'm vulnerable and I'm not sure why.  The tiniest thing will bring me to tears.  I love teacher training.  I'm learning so much and I'm surrounded by wonderful people.

I was confident in the beginning that I'm ready for this experience but I've doubted that lately...

I have wonderful individuals in my life who think I'm more than ready and that this vulnerability is, in a sense, just growing pains.  I'm still uncertain, but their words are comforting.

The quote in the title comes from my lovely friend, Augusta.

Class and conversation with my friend Amanda, along with Blake, were uplifting.

An unexpected hug from Melanie was helpful as well - she must have sensed my discomfort.

Hopefully these growing pains will soon be relieved and this journey will continue to be enlightening and enjoyable.

Why I'm Going through Yoga Teacher Training

As a journal assignment, Melanie has asked us to answer the question: "What is your intention for embarking on the journey of deepening your understanding of yoga through this training?"  I've decided to post my response as a blog entry:

Each time we practice asana in teacher training, Melanie asks us recall our intentions for being in the training.  At first, I had no idea how to summarize my intentions so I would envision all of all the things I want to do with the knowledge and skills I'm acquiring in the teacher training.  As the training has progressed, I have summarized my intentions which are "to be a light in the lives of others and to continue to work toward a more enlightened Jenn."

This goal may sound a little vague:  I have many aspirations for when I have completed my RYT 200 training.  Here are a few: I have been talking to the group fitness coordinator at my university's student recreation center, and I'm really hoping to obtain employment there as a yoga instructor.  Furthermore, I've discussed with my advisor the possibility of completing yoga-based research for my Psychology senior honors thesis.  Possibly in the future, I may combine yoga and psychotherapy; after all, treatment is where I found yoga and it has been a huge part of my own recovery.

Other than preparing me to reach these goals, the training is also helping me with my own self-evaluation, self-discovery, and self-improvement.  My own yoga practice is transforming, and with that so is my outlook on many aspects of life.  With Melanie's fine example of sometimes taking much-needed rests, I am now doing that myself - rather than forcing things both physically and mentally, I'm finding a kind of confidence and satisfaction in myself which I never had before.  I can be confident in my own practice, whether or not my poses are "perfect."  I can push myself to my full potential without pushing myself past my body's limits.  I can meditate, as that is yoga too, rather than only focusing on asana.

I've begun practice teaching as well, which has been a slightly frightening experience, but enjoyable as well.  Over time, throughout this training, I assume and hope I will become more comfortable in front of a group and more confident teaching yoga.

So there you have it; this is why I am in the training & these are my plans. :)

Namaste!

Jenn