| When I first decided to get certified as a yoga teacher | | | | being forced to figure things out to try and help them. |
| I thought I'd be teaching in gyms or studios, not really | | | | They are a very neglected part of the yoga |
| sure how I was going to get classes. Then Kaiser | | | | population, as well as people recovering from stokes, |
| contacted the institute in S.F. looking for an instructor. I | | | | cerebral palsy, polio, muscular dystrophy to name a |
| was and still am one of the few Integral Yoga | | | | few. Even the regular students who come are the |
| teachers in the east bay. Living in Oakland at the time, | | | | kinds of people who would never go to a yoga studio, |
| Fremont Kaiser was a commute, but I went for the | | | | because of the seeming competitive nature, slim |
| interview anyway. This is now my eleventh year | | | | bodies, and latest yoga fashions. |
| teaching yoga in the tri-city area and I love every | | | | I have been humbled consistently with the beautiful |
| minute of it. | | | | spirits of these special people and am honored and |
| I began teaching level 1 classes, then added a gentle | | | | inspired to continue to reach out to those who thought |
| class because so many students were being referred | | | | yoga was something they could never do. I have |
| by their doctors to me and had many varying health | | | | taught a few people privately who needed the extra |
| issues. Teaching people with so many different issues | | | | attention, and work to empower them to feel more |
| was challenging. There is no way anyone can show | | | | comfortable in their sacred bodies. I believe we are |
| you how to teach and accommodate all these issues.It | | | | given everything for a divine reason and I hold |
| took me a long time to be able to tune in and help | | | | everyone in that space. Having a daughter with downs |
| people modify poses according to their needs. | | | | syndrome has helped me understand the special |
| Gentle yoga students have a special place in my heart | | | | needs population more, and maybe the universe was |
| 'because I know it takes a lot more for them to show | | | | preparing me for the path I am now on. The beauty is |
| up, despite the discomfort they have. They have been | | | | certainly in the journey, not the destination. Who knew? |
| more my teachers than I theirs, just because of my | | | | |