Moments from a Monumental Day

I teach about 1-2 classes per day. 3 classes would be a stretch. 4 would be unthinkable. Yesterday, I ended up teaching 5 classes, with the first one starting at 6:30 in the morning and the final class finishing at 9:30 PM. So to say I had a full plate is an understatement. Can I once again reiterate how much props I give other full-time yoga teachers who balance 4-5 classes a day? At the end of my last class, I was ready to collapse on the floor and curl in a fetal position.

I came to realize how much of your own energy you need to expend when you teach. Especially when teaching to a bigger group class, the amount you put in results in how much your students get out it. If I’m not on my A game, I am consequently being of disservice to my students who took time out of their day to practice and learn with me.

I had the chance to cover for a cardio/core “Butts and Guts” class and the regulars were definitely apprehensive about what I was about to deliver. I gave them a heads up that it will be a fusion of booty work and yoga flow. Internally, I was going “ABORT ABORT!!”. Then I saw their hopeful, excited eyes and I drew so much from their energy that I was thankfully able to produce a pretty kick-ass class, pun intended.

Constantly taking me out of my comfort zone and forcing me to face challenges is without a doubt the most enriching quality about teaching yoga. I am reminded that, whilst writing this at a coffee shop on my way to my next class, it’s so important to be grateful for this body and this life, because unfortunately, not everyone has this fortune.

Weekend Hits

This weekend marked the beginning of my favorite season. It was a balmy 25 degrees (or 80 degrees for those in the Imperial system) and I was ready to take on the day. We decided to check out the State Fair, thinking that since the Red River Showdown was going on, there wouldn’t be hordes of people at the fair. Well, we were wrong. Sitting in bumper to bumper traffic for two hours, only to get the gate and have them tell us the parking lots are all closed. After some huffing and puffing, we headed to Klyde Warren Park, which happens to be one of my favorite places in Dallas (Half Priced Books is the other).

With this kind of weather, you can’t go wrong. The park was milling around with families and couples enjoying the beautiful day and we people-watched for a good hour or so, seeing kids fly kites, dogs sniff butts and people show rivalry for the game.

After attempting to understand American football, off we went to our go-to taqueria La Ventana, where we got our day drink on with frozen margaritas and shrimp tacos.

Good day, indeed.

 

Currently #2

At: Dunn Brothers Coffee, Addison 

Munching: Kettle chips

Drinking: Iced Mocha

Listening: Doo Wop – Lauryn Hill

Reading: Neil Gaiman – American Gods (This is a legit amazing read!)

Making: Class plan for a bootcamp class I’m subbing in an hour. It has evolved to a bootcamp/yoga fusion class. Who says you can’t do sun salutations in between burpees?!

 

Teaching thoughts

So there goes my resolution to keep up with my blog! I promise I have a good excuse! I’ve been super busy the past few months getting my schedule in order and teaching at different sites all over town. I think I actually spend more time driving than I do teaching. However, I am not complaining!

While I’ve only been doing this teaching thing for about a month or so, I have gained a new level of respect for teachers who have been doing this a long time! It is without a doubt the most rewarding job I’ve ever done and at the same time, the most consuming.

The constant exchange of energy and interacting with so many different psyches has given me a new perspective on teaching. 9 out of 10 times, I’ve had to completely change my class plan to cater to the people who show up. It’s nerve-wracking, yet weirdly thrilling.

I think my absolute favorite aspect about teaching is getting to know the most wonderful people and knowing their stories. It has been an absolute honor that I get to a be tiny part of their yoga journey.

As I sit here in a little coffee shop in the middle of nowhere (my next class is WAY out of town), I can’t help but feel hashtag blessed.

 

 

Wanderlust

/wanderlust/- a strong, innate desire to rove or travel about

I just had the absolute pleasure of experiencing my first Wanderlust 108 Festival last week. To say it was exhilarating would be an understatement!

Wanderlust 108 is the world’s only mindful triathlon. The day began with a 5k around Downtown Dallas, followed by a swinging dance party hosted by MC Yogi, which flowed into an invigorating yoga class and capped off with a mindful guided meditation.

It was incredibly humbling to be around such an amazing group of people. Lots of high fives were shared, lots of hugs and not to mention, lots of sweat poured!

To my surprise, the event was the push I needed to begin running. I never found enjoyment when I tried track in school and always blamed my lack of endurance and stamina. Now I realize that it’s essentially the same excuse as when someone says, “I can’t do yoga because I’m not flexible.” So this marked my foray in to the running world. I have been running thrice a week and when  I say running, I actually mean I walk for 2 minutes and run for a minute (heh). Baby steps. I mean, I didn’t enter my first yoga class and attempt to handstand.

So here I am, trying to be a more rounded yogi. I have come to appreciate running. Amidst panting for dear life and aching hamstrings, I noticed that it is a beautiful complement to my asana practice. Where one is rather focused on stretching and lengthening, the other is focused on strengthening and supporting. And if that isn’t balance, I don’t know what is.

Which brings me back to this aspect of wanderlust. I have been so blessed to be able to travel to various places around the world and it obviously aroused this insatiable desire to keep moving. Not just in the sense of seeing other places but in this way of traveling and weaving within yourself to unravel and tap on your potential. And I think that’s what running did to me. I felt something unlock within that brought this equilibrium that I didn’t even know I needed.

Accordingly, I am grateful. Grateful for discovering yoga. Grateful for Wanderlust. Grateful for unending potential.