Happy Yogic Anniversary! 8 years along the Teaching Path

 This photo was taken at the first studio I ever taught in 8 years ago.  I was fresh out of my 200 hour yoga teacher training and at the very beginning of yogic journey as a guide.  This blog is dedicated to the path I have followed for the past 8 years including the successes, trial and errors, challenges, wise and not so wise moments, and memories of the fellow yogis I've met along the way...
(ps this is very much a free-write/unedited blog entry...no judgements)...

Many people ask me what made me want to be a yoga teacher?  Well, as a dance major in college I noticed how many of my modern dance teachers would start with a warm up that wasn't necessarily  "dance based," but more movement based with these held stretches in between. At the time I didn't realize they were yoga poses, but the more I practiced this for a few minutes a day the more I liked it.  Then when taking a 3 month summer dance intensive in Massachusetts we had yoga two times a day in our curriculum.  For the first time, I was in a room with dancers without mirrors.  We were not instructed to look at ourselves to correct and adjust our bodies, but asked to feel what it felt like to just live inside our bodies.  Simply feel without judging or trying to correct.  This was mind blowing to me because as a dancer for all of my life, I was always in front of a mirror scrutinizing myself and trying to "fix"my body position, at the same time my inner critic was in constant comparison mode.  After the course of these 3 weeks practicing yoga every day, I knew I had a connection with this practice that would not end after the dance intensive.  The yoga instructor gave me some information about yoga teacher training and this led me to my next step...

After the intensive, I was in my senior year of college and kept noticing yoga popping up everywhere from my dance classes, to acting classes, to new yoga books/dvds showing up in the campus library.  Keep in mind, 8 years ago there were no where as near as many yoga studios, teachers, and media access as there is today.  Yoga was on the up rise and it wasn't some exercise fad that would be around for a short while and disappear like a "one-hit wonder" band.  

Fast forward to the summer after I graduated... I applied to a summer day camp on long island to be their dance specialist, however the filled the position before my interview.  I went in for an interview any way and the director noticed that I had interest of yoga and some knowledge of it.  He asked me if I would be interested in developing a kids yoga program for the day camp and be the first "yoga specialist." I said YES of course and from there on out, I knew that my yoga journey had just begun. After just a few weeks of teaching kids, I started to heavily research which 200 hour yoga teacher training program I would invest in and stumbled across Frog Lotus Yoga in Massachusetts in a yoga journal magazine.  (Research, emails, phone calls) and decision made! 

Frog Lotus Yoga was a month residency program, which consisted of living in an artists community attached to the studio while you submerged yourself day in and day out with learning and practicing yoga.  There were only 7 of us registered in the program (once again the influx of yoga was on the brink), and we were all different ages and had very different intentions of where we wanted the yoga teacher training to lead us.  My intention...guiding students in a practice that allowed them to live in acceptance and appreciation. I wanted students to acknowledge their strengths and be okay with their weaknesses, and most of all having a light heart and sense of humor when they practiced.  

Post graduation I bought my first OM necklace as gift to myself for manifesting the intention of becoming a yoga teacher.  I wore that necklace on my search and application process to yoga studios and gyms on long island, just hoping my OM would give me that extra bit of good fortune.  I started teaching in two small massage/wellness centers, which were perfect to get my feet wet as a new teacher.  The classes were 3-8 people max, most of which new students, which served me well as a new teacher as I developed my craft.  

Fast forward a few months when I took a class in NYC with the amazing Shiva Rea, who I heard of but never had the experience of practicing with her.  I had such a connection with her "prana flow" style of teaching, in that the yoga felt like a flowing dance from start to savasana.  It didn't feel choreographed or rehearsed, but moved through the body very fluidly and organically.  I found a teacher whom I wanted to learn more from and guide me through my continuing education.  I followed Shiva to Kripalu, a retreat and yoga study center, for a week intensive and would then lead to enrolling in her 500 hour teacher training program...

While on the path to the 500 hour program, I continued to develop my yoga teaching throughout Long Island.  In my first few years of teaching I made wonderful connections and taught at several studios and gyms.  In the beginning few years my classes tended to be on the smaller side, as it seems that is what the universe thought I could handle best.  As the years past and I had more experience behind me, I really came into my own as a yoga teacher, where I felt I wasn't just teaching out of books, syllabi's, teacher training curriculum, but instead was teaching from life experiences.  Yoga can be related to anything and can be adapted for anyone.  My authentic voice instinctively led classes that were not just about the poses themselves, but how the poses and the intention behind the poses could lead to a practice of individual and universal connection.  I admit my words are not always prolific, but they are said with honesty and a bit of humor.  Throughout my whole life I was always told to "stop being so serious," and thanks to yoga I have found the not so serious side of life.  I love cracking jokes on the mat or just laughing at life as it unfolds in front of us.  Once I connected with this, the universe brought me more students and opportunities that I am every so grateful for...

In my five years of teaching on Long Island I started my own "mobile yoga studio," Wingspan Yoga, which was the business I used when traveling to teach in libraries, wellness centers, schools, girl scout troops, health fairs, privates.  Wingspan Yoga is something I am very proud of because it was pretty much a self-run business that I started from scratch.  I never took a business course or studied business, but I knew that yoga is something that makes people feel good and everyone wants to feel good, so sharing that message was my springboard to allow Wingspan to fly. 

After teaching five years, I finally was accepted via many auditions to perform for Disney. This led me at a crossroads in my path to continue with my yogic path on Long Island or pursue my childhood dream that I held onto since 5 years of age.  Life was going so well and I was very content with where I was as a yoga teacher, but I knew that yoga would be with me wherever I traveled.  Wingspan was truly an appropriate name for myself at the time, as it was time to spread my wings and move out of the nest.  It is so hard saying goodbye to the students and teachers that I spent years with...one could say they were my yoga family. 

Since my three years here in Florida, I have completed my 500 hour teacher training with Shiva Rea and have taught in a bunch of studios and gyms.  Although, my amount of teaching has gone down quite a bit since I am working for Disney 6 days a week, I am still teaching a few classes a week in wonderful places with wonderful students and fellow teachers.  I would like to teach a few more classes of course, but know that when the universe is ready for me to add more than she will deliver as such.  Quality versus quantity!  It saddens me that Wingspan Yoga is on a temporary hold and my website is in a "check back soon" state.  At the moment, I feel its best to led Wingspan rest its wings until we will soar again.  It may be in the middle of a long respite, however I know that Wingspan Yoga will fly again when the prana is right!  In the meantime, I have developed a yoga family here in Florida and am a lucky woman to have a yoga family down south and up north!  

And that dear friends is a synopsis of my 8 year path as a yoga teacher.  This blog would be infinitely long if I mentioned all the details, places, people, etc that have brought me to the present moment.  Please know that I left out most names and places for privacy, as this blog is public, however I hope that it reaches as many members of my yoga family who have shared a part of this journey with me.  

Thank you everyone for allowing me to be a yogic guide for you.  May you be forever blessed and live a path of peace.  Cheers to the auspicious mystery of the next 8 years to come...

Om shanti, shanti, shanti.  Namaste!
Julie