A couple of years ago, I was interviewed by Kim Genest’s (RYT-200hr) niece who was writing an ethnographical paper for her sociology course. She chose an integrative health practitioner/yoga instructor as her subject. That subject was me. The questions were really well written and I asked the interviewer for permission to use this interview in a blog post. Thank you Szerena Moyen-von Rosenvinge. This is the interview that keeps giving!
How did you first get interested in/begin practicing yoga?
Yoga was offered at the gym I frequented in South Florida. I became interested in a class after observing one. The fitness studio in this gym had four glass walls so that it was easy to see what was going on. I grew up dancing and I really loved the movement that I was watching. I signed up for a couple classes after that.
What made you choose to become an instructor of yoga?
I spent many years pursuing my education. Massage therapy school first, then I went back to school to attain my bachelor’s degree in nursing. I spent the better part of my 20s in school and the careers that I had chosen for myself were very much about taking care of others. I decided to enroll in yoga teacher training for me. I needed some self-care. I needed to fill my cup up.
How did it change your yoga experience?
Being a yoga instructor has really deepened my yoga practice/experience. I had spent over a decade practicing the active part of yoga which is called asana. There are seven other aspects to a complete yoga practice including meditation and breathing. Basically, yoga teacher training taught me how to live my yoga and to take my yoga off of the mat.
Do you continue to practice yoga outside of the classes you teach? (For example, at home.)
I practice asana at home as often as I can. Admittedly, being a Mom to a 13 month old presents its challenges. I strive to practice for at least 5 minutes a day. I use pranayama daily – keeps me calm. Yoga is an integral part of my life. Simple as that.I enjoy arm balances and inversions. Those postures I typically practice at Central Mass Yoga because the studio has all of the space and props I need to maintain a safe practice.
As an instructor, do you feel that you get more or less from yoga than you did as a student? Why?
I definitely get more from yoga as an instructor. As an instructor, I am responsible for helping my students find their way into postures safely while enjoying the most benefit from the postures. This means that I have to understand the full expression of the posture and then develop modifications for students at all levels of practice. Becoming an instructor has helped me to slow down and really work through my own practice so that I can be an effective and safe instructor. Becoming an instructor has definitely deepened my practice.
In what ways has yoga impacted your life and health?
Yoga saved my life. I dabbled in yoga for years, but I had never really practiced consistently. I always found my way into a posture because the stretch felt good. In 2010, I was struggling with depression. It was the deepest, darkest place of my life. I had lost a very dear aunt and I wasn’t able to cope with her passing. My relationships were suffering, I was barely functioning. I had severe insomnia and chronic fatigue.I couldn’t move because my body was so tight from constant anxiety and regular panic attacks. I needed help. In March of that year, I dragged myself to Central Mass Yoga and forced myself to move through a yoga class. For a girl who grew up dancing, I couldn’t touch my toes and bend forward without keeping my knees completely bent. But that 75 minutes changed my life. I realized that I had to come back again and again and again. I did. I took any extra money that I had and invested in yoga. (I was a very poor nursing student at the time.) Within a couple months, the depression lifted and I was able to work toward a state of wellness. Yoga quite literally saved my life.
Many people see yoga as a form of alternative medicine and it is often recommended by doctors to help with certain illnesses (ie. High blood pressure). Do you think yoga has beneficial health qualities? Have you or any students seen these types of benefits?
I KNOW yoga has health benefits. Those benefits are proven. Yoga breathing – pranayama – helps to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) which keeps us calm and focused and present. Our stressful environment (complete with constant stimulation from electronics and a ridiculous standard of work pace) overloads the sister of the nervous system – the sympathetic nervous system (SNS.) The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the “flight or fight” response. Great if you need to save a life or get through an exceptionally difficult task. Bad if it’s a part of your daily existence. Many people live in this state, especially if they struggle with anxiety, depression, sleep problems, etc. Our culture does not typically allow for space to stimulate the PSNS so that we can maintain our calm and focus. I often wonder how different our culture would be if we shifted gears to allow for yoga, breathing, and meditation on a daily basis.
Is there a sense of community that comes with practicing yoga? Or from being a yoga instructor? Can you describe it?
Many practitioners of yoga practice for the benefits of all beings. I certainly do. Yoga is a practice largely based in loving kindness for the self and others. There is a very real sense of community that comes from practicing yoga. For me personally, I went from feeling alone, isolated, and fearful to feeling loved, supported, and calm. That describes community in my mind.
How is yoga meaningful to your life?
Yoga is my zen happy place, my spirituality, my medicine, my connection to my roots, my life. Yoga has always lead me to brighter skies and loving company. Grateful doesn’t cover how I feel about discovering yoga in my life.