Bird of Paradise was probably the first advanced pose I conquered near the beginning of my practice! I have had a few “quick, somebody take my picture” moments associated with this pose. So, needless to say, I have a loving, prideful feeling tied to this Power Yoga Canada -Pose of the Month.
Bird of Paradise in the non-yoga world can either refer to a flower or an actual bird! Both of which are beautiful and kind of funky!! Seriously, check out this feathery friends!!!
The flower is beautiful and strong and fully expresses the elegance of this pose. The B.O.P. flower stands strong on one lovely, long and powerful stalk which truthfully represents the strength needed in your stationary leg and core to properly pull off this pose. It usually has bold petals that mimic the final stance of the Yoga pose. It is definitely not a flower that can sneak by unnoticed. Because the pose incorporates a full bind upon completion that opens up your chest, it really comes across as bold and powerful as the flower.
The Sanskrit name for this pose is Svarga Dvidasanas. Dvija means “twice born” and refers both to the bird (born once as an egg and again as the bird itself) and the pose, which requires two poses to reach a proper Bird of Paradise posture. Svarga means Paradise referring to the bird’s origin in New Guinea – in case you were wondering!
When I was researching this pose, the Sanskrit name really resonated with me. This advanced pose requires several steps to successfully come into and out of properly. Check out Kinndli’s video to see what I am talking about. I find this pose has two distinct stages or births. Moving from your extended side angle to a full bind is one transformation and then using that plateau to step forward and rise into a full Bird of Paradise definitely feels like a second birth or “coming into yourself”. The end product is a fabulous photo opportunity to impress your friends and fellow yogis and I dare you to strike this pose and not smile!
Physiologically it is a hip and chest opener AND it is a great way to stretch and strengthen your hamstrings! Finding that combination is quite rare in yoga and it really does feel like you are cracking out of your shell and emerging as that beautiful flower.
Bird of Paradise is a pose that invokes pride and elegance and can really enhance the benefits of your practice. Check out your studios Facebook page and upload your Bird of Paradise to the Facebook pages for your chances at free workshops and classes.
Between the strangle hold Winter has had on us and the amped up expectations for Spring, it is no wonder, that the powers that be instituted a week long break at this time of year! It is a chance for the kids to shake off the old, recharge their batteries and get used to playing outside again. The time change allows for longer/brighter evenings and we are all excited at the chance to go outside with only one layer on!
The problem arises when we (as parents) try to figure out what to do with our kids for the week. Stay-at-home or working parents it is still a struggle to find the balance between over-programmed and bored-to-tears.
There are literally thousands of choices for kids during March Break including; vacations, day trips, time with the Grandparents, workshops and camps. Every major attraction has discounted specials and special activities and there is enormous pressure on parents to not have the kid whose response to “What did you do this March Break Tommy?’ be “I don’t know” or worse “nothing”….
We hear the advice as parents to not over-program our kids and risk them losing their abilities to entertain themselves. We become expected “cruise directors” that are on 24/7 so that god-forbid no one gets “bored”.
So how do we find the balance?? I have found over my many years of parenting, many parent friends and running fitness camps for kids that listening is the KEY. We need to involve them and give them choices. One of the best ways for us and our kids to listen is first remembering how to tune into what we really need. On Family Day (way back in February) I signed little Izzy up for a kid’s yoga workshop at PYC Oshawa with Kerry Stewart-Moeller! It was fantastic! She really let the kids decompress. She kept them moving but also reconnected them with their own intuition. They learned to listen to themselves, move their bodies and really have a chance to recharge.
Kerry was able to show the kids that they could entertain themselves (without a screen) and gave them skills to practice outside of the yoga studio so they could easily obtain that feeling anywhere, at any time! The crazy part was the kids weren’t even aware that they were learning, they were just having fun and playing with their new friends.
Kerry teaches them mindfulness through breathing techniques and visualization. She connects them with their bodies and teaches them how to listen to their inner compass! This year she is offering a kids March Break Workshop on Monday AND she is opening it up to Kids AND Parents on Wednesday. Watching the kids learn trust and compassion through partner yoga is a great way to reconnect with your own kid over the break.
The kids yoga programs at PYC are exactly what March Break is about, check out your closest location and see what they have to offer for your munchkin.
As Ghandi says “If we wish to create peace, we must begin with the Children” what a fabulous lesson to instil over March Break and all without a long line-up or a screen insight!
Happy March Break and whatever you end doing over the next 7 days make sure you listen to yourselves and your children. Your gut will never lead you wrong!
Namaste,
Amber
I have been practicing yoga at the PYC Oshawa location since shortly after they opened. Recently I was given the awesome opportunity to dive deeper into the community as a guest blogger for the Power Yoga Canada site. I am super excited to embrace this opportunity and share some of my insights around compassionate living and the practice of Yoga.
I have been in the fitness industry for over 15 years, mainly in a municipal setting. I have trained clients, and trained staff to train clients. I have seen the trends come and go; I have seen studio’s fold and gym’s lock their doors on fully paid members.
I had become quite jaded with private fitness and perceived my way as “better”. So I am not quite sure how I found myself in Kelly and Debbie’s studio shortly after their doors had opened. But it was like walking through Alice’s “looking glass” – people were hanging out, sharing thoughts, dreams and goals for their yoga life, as well as their personal life. It was like all forms of judgement had been checked at the door and EVERYONE of all shapes, sizes and gender were welcome.
Although I tried to turn off my “Fitness Insider” brain, I couldn’t help but notice that their business model was different, it was fair and based on respect (WHAT!!!??). I immediately signed up and accepted that these girls had gotten “it” right and not because they had a new savvy way of signing up new members or a killer advertising campaign that promised to cure you of all of your body misconceptions, but because they were fun, genuine and knew their Yoga. They lived what they were teaching and they provided a space for peace and contentment to blossom into community pride and action.
With every class I took I knew I wanted/needed more. I joined their first 40 Days To Personal Revolution program and most of those students who were by my side in the program are now an integral part of the PYC Oshawa family to this day. Many have gone on to become teachers, assistants and EE’s.
I am still insanely proud of my career but my eyes have been opened to another way of doing things. One that continuously fuels my soul and my body to this day.
My approach to life is very light hearted and my crazy blended family of 5 keeps me on my toes. I have battled a life-long struggle with my weight and my body (to which I have recently called a cease-fire) I am an avid blogger, writing guest pieces for local sites, working with my cyber partner Lindsay (another lovely PYCOshawa soul) to spread the message of Health and Wellness through words (and Social Media)!
I am seriously stoked to share this space with you all and to continue writing what we are all thinking.
I remember feeling scared and worried a lot as a very young girl. From the moment I’d wake up in the morning for school, until I got home I was nervous. Nervous about myself, about others, about the world around me. I was fortunate enough to experience wonderful things like friendship, sisterhood, sports, music and writing…but I never felt like I knew who I was. A part of that feeling came from growing pains (literally and metaphorically). However, a larger part of that stemmed from a fear of discovering who I was and learning to accept myself fully. I am 24 years old and I am just learning to do that. A major part of my self- discovery was catapulted by PYC.
When I first joined PYC last summer, I came into the studio every day for several weeks with that same sense of fear, anxiety and self-consciousness. Eventually though, it became really difficult to keep up that way of being, once I knew what was possible. What was and is possible is total self-acceptance, freedom, and a higher level of consciousness. Basically, my brain was turned off autopilot and I felt awake for the first time ever. I realized that I no longer had to suffer, because I could choose how I felt, who I surrounded myself with and how I led my life. The greatest gift I have received from yoga is the ability to accept all challenges in my life, while also accepting myself.
When my dad passed away a few years ago, I completely shut off. I still functioned like a “regular” person. I went to university, had a long-term relationship, worked out, went out and had adventures. However, I wouldn’t let myself fully experience what I was going through. Whether it was a positive emotion or a negative one, I’d do my best to neutralize it upstairs so that I wouldn’t feel too much. I kept a peaceful appearance, but I was screaming inside. The pain of that loss was far too much for me to comprehend, so I simply hid inside myself for a while. It’s taken me many yoga classes, cry fests, temper tantrums and talks to realize that I deserve to be happy and healthy…and sometimes that means addressing the most painful things. I can now say that I love myself through thick and thin, and this new appreciation has expanded my capacity to love others unconditionally.
Some of the teachers at the yoga studio say that at some point in your practice and in your life, you will learn to “drop the struggle.” I remember hearing that in class and thinking to myself…easy to say, difficult to do. However, it wasn’t something that required a real effort. It just took patience, persistence and dedication to my wellbeing. One day I was on the train to work and it dawned on me: I don’t have to make everything so hard. It’s literally that thought that I haven’t been able to shed. Stop seeing every workday, relationship, workout, or piece of bad news as another mountain to climb. It’s merely an opportunity to use your inner strength and show how resilient and calm you can be in the centre of the storm. That display of power builds an immense amount of confidence, and with that confidence comes self-love, courage and determination.
I am a work in progress, but I like it. I like not knowing exactly who I’ll be or how I’ll feel when I leave this world. We never stop evolving as human beings and we never stop learning about ourselves and others, if we so choose. I’m happy I’ve made the choice to let myself grow and become the best version of myself that I can be so that I can contribute better to the world around me. I truly want to thank PYC for taking me in like family and for showing me what’s possible. The kindness and connection are invaluable to me. I look forward to what the future may bring.
The impact of connection with yourself and others can be the difference between a happy, joyous life filled with love, and people who support and nurture you, or a sad, angry and resentful existence full of loneliness and wondering why.
For many years I lived a life without connection. I thought I was happy and joyful because things were going well for me. I had a great relationship, we travelled, we were great friends, we lived very comfortably, we laughed, we played, we had a great time together. I had a job I enjoyed, close to home, doing things I liked doing (I still have this job today and am working on ways to show up differently to make it even better). I was active in sports, running, doing triathlon, hitting the gym (again, still do these things daily, they make me feel alive). Through all of this, I felt alone. I never felt like I truly had friends of my own or connected to the people in my life. I had my sisters and family and a few close friends, but there was always something in the way. In fact, all of my relationships had something in the way. I didn’t understand. I could make friends easily and have a great time, but I never felt like I was connecting with them, or that I could hang onto these relationships forever.
Through a separation, transformational work, 40 Days, and Your Life Design, I discovered what was missing in my life, what I felt was important to me, what I needed to have a happy, joyous and loving life. That was connection with myself and others. Turns out, I was afraid to let people in, to see me for who I really am. To ask for help when I needed it. I would give people a glimpse from time to time, but I would never truly let them in. This included my ex-boyfriend, my family, my friends and colleagues.
When I learned how to let go of my resentments, and to love and accept myself for who I am, I started noticing a huge change in my life. I started feeling lighter, happier, peaceful and positive, more accepting of myself and the things in my life (especially burdens I created). I started asking my friends, family and colleagues for help, and the most amazing thing happened, they were all there for me. They all listened to me, made time for me, helped me through what I was going through. I was overwhelmed and overjoyed with this experience. It truly touched my heart and my life. I started coming out of my dark state. I started seeing a fuller social calendar. I started seeing easier times at work and with my family.
The conversation that had the most impact on my life was when my half-sister told me that she felt my connection with her for the first time in her life. That every time we’ve been together, we have both wanted to have a relationship/connection, so very badly, but something was always in the way. She told me that it was gone. I was so touched and happy by this statement and her vulnerability to share her true feelings with me. I will forever be grateful for her honesty. I soon started hearing very similar comments from other friends, and acquaintances. The love and connection I now feel for myself, my life, and my family, friends, PYC and colleagues, is incredible. Each day I learn something new, drop an old fear, let something go, live a rewarding life. I don’t know what my full purpose is on this journey yet, but I feel the picture will be revealed to me soon. I know my story is not true and I trust the universe to take me where I need to go. I am following my heart, not my brain. I am so excited to embrace my journey with love and open arms, because the changes I have chosen to create in my life, have exposed a vulnerability, and a side of me I saw, but didn’t know how to express. Never ever be afraid to be you, show your vulnerability or connect with the people in your life. The impact is life changing.
I’ve found that I ask myself this question more times than I’d like to admit. Everyone has their own past, their own experiences and their own things that we try to avoid because we are scared. Have you ever taken the time to ask yourself what it is that you are scared of? And taking it one level further, is it actually worth your time and energy to be scared? Is <insert your fear here> (mine being getting hurt, maintaining control to avoid any bad things happening to me) actually real?
Is it possible or plausible?
Is there any evidence to support my feelings?
If you’ve ever suffered from anxiety or depression, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. The downward spiral can begin so quickly, and can escalate out of control even quicker.
When I was in my early 20’s, I went through a horrible ordeal with an ex boyfriend. There was a ton of abuse involved, and it’s definitely a fear that I now carry with me in some form or another. (My mom told me last night, after going through a rough patch with my current partner, that it almost seems like I’m self sabotaging.) It’ll vary for everyone who has been through this kind of situation, but mine manifested in a crazy elaborate imagination. In 30 seconds or less, I can think of a terrible situation that could happen, whether it be to my family, my friends, or to myself. Within those 30 seconds, I change from the bubbly, happy person that I am, into a withdrawn, emotional wreck. I could break up with my boyfriend, quit my job, and move to another province or country if the resources were available to me. And what I fail to do every time I feel this way is ask myself “Is this real? Is this possible that any of these things could happen?”
What are your tools to fight off these feelings? Mine include yoga, both the physical practice and the mental practice; a close support network, where no one will look at me like I’m crazy; your family, friends, community… etc.
Sadly, we don’t have an on and off switch for our feelings, but we do have the tools to de-code and decipher and help us work through the anxieties. Know that you are never alone, know that the person or group you chose to confide in can help see the reality, and help bring you back to it.
A couple of weeks ago a great friend of mine left the company that I work for. Her and I had formed a bond beyond the normal superficial relationships you develop in the corporate world. We did have a ton in common (come from small town backgrounds, we are both divorced, we like to travel) what drove our bond was that we each realized that despite our work achievements, neither of us was really happy or satisfied in life. This lead both of us to pursuing other means of seeking what we were looking for.
When she left, she gave me a card with a French Proverb on it. It said “All that I can, I will.” She really felt that this was a saying that resonated with her, and specifically felt that it was something that suited me, as if it was a gentle nudge saying “Kevin, listen to this”. At the time, I kind of got it, but to be honest, it did not resonate for me. After what happened to me today, I get it now.
As always, whenever I get going on these posts, I have to give a lot of context, so here goes …
Earlier this year I had the most profound experience of my life: taking a Seva Safari with the Africa Yoga Project. A dedicated group of yogis, 10 of us from Toronto, came together and accomplished a major feat. We built a playground on the rooftop of the Kibera School for Girls in the middle of the largest slum in Kenya.
I came back from this experience with a new outlook on life. It was unlike anything I have ever felt in my life. And after 17 years at my company, I was finally convinced that I was going to quit my job and pursue a career as a corporate trainer. This was something in my heart that I knew was good at doing; but it was also, something that I liked doing very much.
Instead of quitting outright and pursuing this career, I decided to take a series of courses at Centennial College to obtain a certificate in teaching first. Towards the end of this course, I was asked to write a Learning Journal, reflecting on what I learned and how I was going to apply it to my teaching. After seriously reflecting on this, I realized that I did not want to teach full time. I realized that I really wanted to do it part-time. The reason for this was that I really liked blending teaching theory with real life practice and vice versa. I wanted to do both.
This was a shock to me, because that was not the answer I expected to get when I started these courses. I fully expected to start teaching full time at some point in the future. In reality though, I got what I really wanted out of this experience: clarity.
Back at work, last week, I went to Bolivar, Missouri to visit a team of people working for me. If this place sounds like it is hick and rural to you, in reality it is even more so. There are more churches in the town than fast food places, the town is basically dry, at the Peach Tree diner there was a man over 60 wearing a long sleeve shirt and overalls, and on the drive in one day an old school red pickup truck was being driven by a man with a cowboy hat.
While I was there, it is safe to say that I veered way off my yoga practice. Also while I was there, and to a larger extent slowly but surely since I came back from Africa, I also veered way off many good habits I have worked hard to form: major lack of sleep, I effectively was free-basing diet coke, water disappeared from my diet, fast food and steak was the norm, and having a beer or two at dinner was standard practice.
I came back to Canada and my mind was spinning. I was reverting to all of the same poor thought patterns that had bothered me for so long. It occurred to me that these were tied, what you do to your body ends up in your head.
Because of this, last Friday I decided to recommit myself to those habits:
– I slept 12 hours that night, and I went to bed before 11 each day this week
– I hit my mat, doing two solid yoga practices that weekend
– My water bottle never left my side and I refilled it often
– I reduced my diet cola intake to one a day (as a treat)
– Protein shakes and vitamins came back in
– Solid meals with healthy snacks throughout the day became the norm
– I re-introduced short meditations sessions in the morning and the evening
– Each night before I went to bed I listed out the five things that brought me the most gratitude that day
– And I went all out dry, no booze
All of this really started to lift me back up. I started doing all that I can.
This past Tuesday night, I visited my therapist. This is a program I utilized that is offered to all employees at my company. I enlisted this program because I realized that there was no one single person who had the time, the training, and the level of detachment to listen to everything I was dealing with. Over the last couple of months I have had many sessions, Tuesday’s was the first one in the “weaning myself off” stage.
I started describing to her many of the things I stated above. Gaining clarity in my career direction, devolving down into a spiral due to bad habits, and then recommitting to the good habits.
I left the session in good spirits because the act of sharing opened me up to many insights.
During the session I described that earlier this week I had received an e-mail asking for people to teach a class in San Jose towards the end of August. With my new found clarity of career direction, I realized this fit perfectly, so I decided during that session that on Wednesday morning I would act on it. The key thing I did say then though was that if the spot was already taken because I had waited a couple of days, I would be fine with it. I was just going to do what I could do, and I was happy with that … all that I can, I will.
Come Wednesday morning, I send a note off saying that I would be interested in teaching this class, with no expectations.
Within 5 minutes, I received a reply. Unfortunately they had filled that class with an instructor already. They asked if I was available to teach in Chicago starting on holiday Monday. I politely declined the Chicago class, my work schedule would not allow me to do that, but I made it clear that if they needed me for any other classes to please keep me in mind.
At that point in time, I was completely content. I followed through on something I wanted to do. Nothing came of it, and I was ok with that. I did all I can.
I would not be writing this blog post if the story ended there.
An hour later, I am siting in a meeting, with my laptop (something I normally do not do). I get an e-mail. The assigned instructor cancelled on the class in San Jose. I was now assigned as the instructor. I sat in the meeting in shock. This is something that I wanted to do, something that I followed through on, and in reality I was not attached to the result; why, because I had done all that I can. Then it came to me: I was doing all of these great habits, I had attained career clarity, I was grateful for so many things in my life, then I did all I can. Of course, it was obvious that something great happened.
After this I started to reflect. I realized that for so long in my life, I have been doing as much as possible to get what I wanted, obsessing over it in some cases to the point of depression. And if you really wanted to see it, set your mat up next to me and you will see someone trying SO hard to get something, over-extending to the point of all out drama on the mat.
The majority of my life leading up to this, I was not doing all that I can, I was trying so hard to do so much more. I was pushing through pain to get what I needed. I was stretching myself too thin, on and off the mat, to achieve so much. I was not pursuing those things in life that I wanted, or if I was pursuing it I was doing it so hard that it was obviously over extension. I was doing everything possible to make it happen. And if I did not make it happen, I was beating myself up over the smallest missed thing (you know that person who gets 98% on a test and is pissed because they blew that 2%, ya, that’s me).
Little did I know, the words that I was meant to hear, were sitting on a card on my desk at work “All that I can, I will.”
It is so simple, yet it fits so well. My friend Karen, she knew something about me that I did not know. She knew the perfect thing to say to me, the perfect advice that I needed to hear, something that would fit my life. Then in one simple small situation I applied it. Turns out sometimes “all that I can” is just sending off a note and being happy with doing that, and now I will get a free trip to visit San Jose, with a small little summer vacation to see San Francisco.
At PYC, we often ask people “What are you up to?” It took me a bit to formulate my own answer to this. I now have an answer, even though it really is not a logical direct answer, you know what I do not care. What am I up to? I am up to “All that I can, I will.” (plus I am going to throw on a little extra something for good measure “… no more, no less.”)
About one year ago I was entering into the summer of my dreams. I was registered to play in two hockey leagues, a soccer league and a basketball league. With some very light dry land training, I was sort of ready. My first event in this amazing summer was basketball. I found a league with a great group of guys and was ready for action. To prepare, I did my usual shoot around for a warm-up and waited for the whistle to start the game. About 30 mins into the game, I was running down the court and felt a sledge hammer hit my leg. At that exact moment, I also heard what sounded like a champagne bottle exploding. After about 10 seconds of trying to figure out what happened, I realize I had a complete rupture of my Achilles tendon. I considered this to be the worst new guy performance of all time.
So there I am at the hospital, wondering about surgery, recovery time, money lost, what my summer would look like, my leg strength and what I am going to do about work (I have an amazing job teaching Phys. Ed). Not once did I think that this moment would change my life, make me better, stronger and more physically fit.
One of my friends came to stay with me and my wife. He had some time off and wanted to come down to help. He lived with us for a month driving me to physiotherapy, to the gym and keeping my spirits high. When I got the soft cast removed, my wife had just joined Power Yoga Canada. She went to a class and came back radiating, excited and joyful. She kept telling me, “You should come. You should come! Everyone there is so amazing…”.
Always wanting a new experience, I decided to give it a try. And this is where my transformation occurred, from the worst day of my life to one of the best decisions I have made.
I went in to yoga wanting to rehabilitate my leg, but what I did not expect was a rehabilitation of mind, body and soul. I have now been practicing for 6 months, once or twice a week. I have made a full recovery and am having more success at hockey than ever before (I don’t think basketball is in my near future). But more importantly is the gratitude I owe everyone at Power Yoga. It is so rare to be surrounded by so many wonderful and inspirational, instructors and people practicing. The energy is so contagious. With the full support from everyone, we have taken a leap of faith and are now going to Kenya to build a school through the Africa Yoga Project.
One year ago it was all about my summer, and what was taken from me; remember, the worst day of my life. Today thanks to Power Yoga it is now the best time of my life. I am truly living. I have not left for Africa yet and still need to raise a lot of money, but I am already excited about how we can help by building the school and help the next group going. My wife and I are fundraising for AYP, meeting amazing people who are so helpful and loving the challenge. This experience so far has taught me several lessons. One is that there are amazing people in this world. The other, is that changing the world is a next to an impossible task. But if you change your own world, then the world around you changes.
– Jonathan Gardner
Block Party: July 8 from 1-5pm
AYP Website: www.africayogaproject.org
Jessica and Jonathan’s Fundraising Page: https://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/ayoga/campaign.jsp?campaign=135
We were stuck in a rut, living everyday like the movie Groundhog Day. If you haven’t seen the movie Groundhog Day, Bill Murray wakes up, eats, goes to work, works all day, comes home, eats, goes to bed and that repeats. That was what we were in a habit of doing. We have a great life but it had become very comfortable, maybe even a bit boring. We wanted more. We hungered to be inspired. Deepak Chopra defines the word inspired, as “in spirit”. We didn’t realize how removed we were becoming from our true nature. However, there were signs along the way. Oprah calls these whisper and C+C Music Factory refers to them as…”things that make you go hmmm”.
All year I taught my grade 7 students lessons about social justice, making a difference in the world, and how to be active in the community…hmm. We heard about the March 2012, Seva Safari service trip that a bunch of the PYC community were going on to build a playground…hmmm. We went to their slide show when they returned…hmmm. I went to Oprah’s Life Class tour and listened all day to the world’s best inspirational speakers tell me to find my purpose…hmmm. One day those whispers turned into a strong voice-Pauline’s! It was at the end of class and Pauline said, “We need three more people to go to Kenya to build a school. See me if you are interested.” Immediately I felt my breathe catch- I heard, “just go”, “DO IT!” It wasn’t my conscience; it was the row behind me which consisted of 5 of the people who had been in March. I don’t believe in coincidence. I went home and told my husband. He thought it was an amazing aspiration but an impossible reality to raise $10 000 in a month. I told him how Pauline’s words hit me squarely on the heart. He said that that happens so rarely in life, that once it does you have to listen. So here we are listening to our spirit and amazing things are happening in our life.
We have just started our journey to Africa and it began in our home. It started by stopping our common, comfortable, repetitive routine. Instead of watching TV, we spent our time working together to commit to raising money to support the wonderful work that AYP is doing. It is spreading to our community. My students were the first to hear of this idea and they immediately put into practise the lessons they learned throughout the year, wanting to be involved with helping to raise the money for kids like them half a world away. Now I see them using their skills and talents to encourage their peers to make a difference by doing what they can.
The tremendous support from PYC began our first yoga class after making the decision to be a part of the July Seva Safari. Jenn, Monica and Heather were cheering us on the very next day. Pino, Isabel and everyone in the 40 Days to Personal Revolution team echoed their support. Pauline, Kelly, and Denise are making the Africa Yoga Project Fundraiser Block Party not just a plan but a reality. People we haven’t seen in ages or don’t even know are offering their support. We are so much more connected to ourselves and because of that we are more connected to others. We feel such positive energy from everyone, we are lit up! We are inspired to shine this light brightly so that other people see the power they possess. This is the light that we will take with us on our journey to Africa.
– Jessica Gardner
Block Party: July 8 from 1-5pm
AYP Website: http://www.africayogaproject.org/
Jessica and Jonathan’s Fundraising Page: https://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/ayoga/campaign.jsp?campaign=135
I have been driving from St. Catharines to PYC since the first day the studio opened in Clarkson Village. There was something about the energy of PYC that kept bringing me in, driving an hour each way to a class that I knew would inspire me, and ground me and connect me into something powerful. Let’s be clear, I made the time to do it, I worked part time as an office assistant, yoga instructor – teaching 10 yoga classes a week, mother of 2 kids, and a wife. It was a priority for me. I didn’t quite understand it all at the time; I simply knew I loved to be there.
I started becoming a part of the community even more, I attended Baron Baptiste Teacher Training Level 1, Level 2, became a certified Baptiste Power Vinyasa Instructor and started participating in all practice teaching sessions, all trainings offered by PYC because I wanted to inspire my students, as Kinndli and Pauline had inspired me. At times, I wondered, “What am I doing?” “What purpose was there to keep coming back to PYC and being a part of their community when I lived so far away?” It wasn’t sustainable over the long run. A conversation with Kinndli, telling me about why she opened her first studio – her needing to build the space that she craved from the Baptiste community right here in Canada, set off the light bulb moment (amazing how one conversation can do that). It was time to step up out of my comfort zone! I needed to bring this incredible studio and community home to St. Catharines. Create a place that inspires me to practice and create the community I loved so much, at home. Instead of waiting for someone else to bring it to me, I had to do it myself along with my partner Andrea. It was time to step up into something BIG, it was time to bring PYC to St. Catharines.
Pauline became my mentor. I admire Pauline; she never once told me what to do. She encouraged me to find my feet, get grounded, really get clear on what I wanted to build and create in my life, find my drishti gaze, my focus to where I was headed. I can’t even begin to say how important that is. Throughout this whole experience, with all the ups and downs, that is the one thing that I needed the most. To have my feet planted firmly on the ground, to know what I wanted to create and to keep stepping towards it. Opening a studio is not easy, but when you know exactly what you want, where you are headed, it is simply a part of the path to where you are headed. All of this is living yoga, not simply doing the physical practice, the asanas, but starting to live your life through yoga, grounding down-finding your feet in who you are, what you are up to in your life, using your drishti, your focus, to bring the practice to your life, not just the one hour on your mat.
Pauline and Kinndli – I am forever thankful to all that you do and the communities you have built, my life has changed so much because of you both. I am honoured to be a new affiliate studio owner and to be your friend as you spread your love all across Canada!
I am moving forward with complete excitement about bringing PYC to St. Catharines with my amazing partner Andrea. She has been right by my side for the entire journey! I absolutely love the energy, the community, the practice, the space (lets face it, I could go on forever here), and so excited to be bringing it HOME!
Let’s Light it Up St. Catharines! Are you with me???
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