Yoga and I have been flirting with each other for many years. It was in college that I heard about Yoga. Not much was known about it. It seemed to enjoy the rather mysterious reputation that surrounded it. I was OK not pursuing, at that time.
Yoga disappeared from my radar for a long time. I had started teaching group fitness, of all kinds, in 1985. I was lifting and aerobicizing and, although quite into it, there always seemed to be something missing. There was a quality that I kept attempting to bring to group aerobic exercise that just didn’t seem to want to be brought in. Periodically, Yoga would pass by and give a nod. I’d give a side-ways glance and turn away, certain that I was not up to the task of taking on something so exotic.
I was very tempted in the early 90s when Yoga actually came to my house. I sat in my living room with a teacher who was looking for an apprentice. She offered to help me develop both a personal and teaching practice. The three of us began to dabble. The teacher was certain that Yoga and I were a good match. We tried for a while but the timing was bad. I let Yoga slip away, again.
I made a few more attempts to develop my relationship with Yoga. In 2003, I tried diluting Yoga with something that I found a little less intimidating, Pilates. I trained in PiYo, a Pilates-Yoga fusion that seemed to fit the gym environment, with which I had grown very comfortable, a little easier. In 2006, I took some training to understand Yoga a little better and began to step up my personal yoga practice. Momentum kicked in, in 2007, when I completed YogaFit Level 1 teacher training. I started teaching and expanded my personal practice. Yoga began to seem less threatening and more intriguing. I found Yoga to be very skilled and subtle at the art of seduction. Without fully knowing it, I was being enticed, lured and charmed.
I completed my RYT 200-hour teacher training at Flow Yoga, SLC in 2008, in the Vinyasa style. I completed the RYT 500-hour teacher training at Prana Yoga Trolley Square in October 2013. There’s no denying that Yoga and I are in relationship. We still do the push-pull thing that is common in many developing relationships. Yoga reminds me not to push too hard and, at that same time, holds my interest enough to keep me moving forward with it. Although Yoga can be mysterious, complicated and challenging, the spiritual, physical, mental and emotional rewards that it has offered me have and continue to enrich my life. When Yoga knocks at your door, I highly recommend that you invite it to join you on your journey through this life. If you’re not ready at that moment, Yoga will wait for you, as it has for thousands of years. For your own well-being, I hope you don’t make it wait too long.
My teaching style has been described as “challenging.” I welcome yogis of all levels to gently explore the edge of their practices. I enjoy a flowing style to build heat followed by longer held poses and detailed instruction. As one student described his experience of my class, “It’s hard and I can do it.”
What’s your yoga story? I’d love to hear your thoughts on yoga. Why do you practice? What’s been your experience? How did you find yoga? What keeps you coming back? Share your story and send it to me by email and I’ll post it below.
Namaste,
Geo
