I think the best thing someone ever told me was that I was a great storyteller! Not sure if it was meant as a compliment, but I sure took it as one 🙂
Yes, I love telling stories. Reenacting stories too!
Why not talk about events that made you happy, made you laugh, or even made you cry! Why not share?! Most of the time, when telling a story, you either want to make someone smile, or have a giggle or maybe even share something personal so you can share a common space.
I love to tell yoga stories… about poses, experiments, sequencing, achievements or lack thereof, or of total fails. About the amount of sweat and tears I left on my mat that day. About a perfect quiet moment I shared by myself. Your mat is the best place to feel vulnerable and free. To look for forgiveness and lose judgment. Be kind to yourself.
Been having a lot of discussions and conversations about yoga and social media lately. Don’t get me wrong, I love instagram and seeing everyone’s pictures and posting some of my own. But I can definitely see the intimidation behind it! It can be very overwhelming and scary, and maybe make you feel like yoga isn’t for you because you see these crazy poses with legs behind heads, or impressive arm balance poses. Some of those pics can be inspiring, make you work towards something you may want to achieve, but some can make you feel like giving up or not starting at all.
I promise not to rant or trail off into a social media bashing 😉 I try to find balance and humour in it! One of my favourite yoga teachers never posts anything about yoga! It’s all about her cats hahaha, and I think it’s hilarious. Some of them use it purely for advertising and that’s ok too. Mine is definitely a bit of everything… my dogs, my yoga mat, my classes, the beach… I can’t do any of those crazy fancy poses as we like to call them! So I will leave that to all the other yoga teachers out there to inspire you… I will try my best to inspire you in other ways! I’m kinda cute and funny, so maybe I’ll try that 🙂
Yesterday I read this fantastic article on “being an advanced practitioner”. It was so on point, I loved it. I don’t know where and how yoga became all about flexibility or a show. Just because you are flexible, doesn’t mean you are “good” at yoga. It just means you are flexible. ‘Cause if that was the case, I would be terrible at it. I have to work on my flexibility daily. DAILY!! It’s a practice like everything else for me. To me, being an advanced practitioner is about knowing yourself. Moving with breath and intention. Feeling the pose, listening to your body. And knowing that coming back to foundations is always the best. Knowing the roots, and coming back to them. It doesn’t need to be all disco lights and fireworks. My favourite pose is savasana… ain’t nothing wrong with that!
I, as a yoga teacher DO NOT fall into that “yoga box” of: tall, skinny, blond, super flexible! I am literally the opposite of that! Someone told me a few months ago that I was “…pretty strong & flexible for a thick girl” (thick is the Bajan word for chubby!) and I was like whaaaaaat???? So you’re telling me I can’t be strong because I’m short and chubby?? Really? I’m not here to impress anyone. Certainly not here to impress anyone who calls me fat! I am here to share my love of yoga and the reasons why… if you want to join in, that’s amazing. And if not, that’s amazing too!
I have been spoiled in my life with amazing teachers. Teachers that speak and teach from personal experience. Teachers that speak of the journey and not only the end result. Teachers that have taught me that you can still have integrity even while you are on that social media ride.
I enjoy teaching! I really do, and always have. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my students achieve something they have been working on… even if it is as simple as touching their own toes! I am over the moon when they message or call me to tell me they have been practicing at home and they finally got it!! I mean really? How cool is that!? I don’t even give them homework 😉 and they do it anyway!! Love it!
Having the opportunity to teach on this amazing island is pretty incredible. I feel lucky every single day. To practice, teach and take class anywhere on this rock is breathtaking! The yoga community down here is fantastic. The support is there; we can see it and feel it.
That’s it for me today folks… stay tuned for more adventures of an island yogi!
