This past weekend marked the end of OM Movement’s Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training. I am a different person because of it. My students expressed their gratitude for this life changing experience with a beautiful video, touching gifts and lots of tears and hugs. I had a mixed reaction to their overwhelming show of gratitude.
For one, this training was a lot of work, but it was a blessing from the very beginning to be part of this special group of people. In the many trainings I’ve participated and taught in, I’ve never seen such a cohesive and supportive group. We all went through extreme transformations, as is common if you give your whole heart in a yoga training, but what was unique about this group was their humble support of each other. I accept their gratitude for the space I created.
And I am deeply and forever grateful for Vivian Gomez, the owner of OM Movement for offering me this opportunity, for believing and trusting in my ability and the not quite so gentle nudge she gave me that pushed me to create this training.
But what made this training such a pleasure and so powerful was every single students’ willingness to show up as their raw vulnerable self. A yoga teacher training is no simple feat, and I’ll admit, I require a whole-hearted commitment from every single student the entire time.
Through the Vinyasa practice we challenge and transform our bodies. Through a daily meditation practice we confront and transcend our minds. But the real work comes from our ability to be our true selves, to strip down our preconceived notions of who we think we are or what we think we are supposed to be.
This is true in every aspect of our lives. We cannot create real lasting loving relationships with ourselves or our loved ones if we hold back from showing who we really are. We cannot engage in any kind of deep healing and transformation if we are not willing to dig deep to the core of our being. From my many years of teaching and counseling I can honestly tell you, no one is without their insecurities and fears, no one is without scars and triggers, no one is without deep dark faults.
The difference between peaceful people and those with deeply disturbed minds is not their ability to live a challenge free life, it is their ability to accept the raw messiness of life. Their ability to accept that there is no one path to understanding and fulfillment. That life is an ocean of experiences, sometimes we ride the wave and sometimes it takes us under. But we know that we are all in this awesome, frightening and wonderful ocean together, heading to the same shore. That is the great humbling and unifying awareness. We are all unique, but we are all united in this experience, the wild ride called life.