Yoga Field Trips

The past two weekends, I have taken “yoga field trips” and visited different yoga studios.

I absolutely consider Inner Evolution Yoga (IEY), my home studio. I feel connected there and apart of the community. It is very comfortable, familiar and my personal sanctuary. I practice there a few times a week, and take various classes based on what my needs are for that day. I have learned and grown a great deal and I am still benefiting from what my teachers are imparting to me.

However, I do want to push myself to grow in my practice, both personally, and as a teacher. That sometimes involves pushing myself out of my comfort zone and venturing into unfamiliar territory. I think it is important to get the perspective of many different teachers and hear how others give cues or sequence classes. I know I still have so much to learn, both in my personal practice and as a teacher, and I want to search for as much knowledge as possible.

It has been a great experience for me to take these yoga field trips. I have heard some new cues that I want to use and I have heard some poses introduced in different way that deepened my understanding.

I have also remembered what it is like to be the new person. I have taken it for granted that I belong to a community at IEY and feel completely comfortable. It was good for me feel that unease and unfamiliarity again. I teach Beginner’s, and many times have students who are brand new to the studio. It was nice to remember how far introducing myself, being welcoming or even smiling at someone new, can go.

I remembered to be more flexible and accepting of different styles and not the way I “always” do things. I know there are so many different ways of interpreting yoga, and I can get stuck in the ways in which I have been taught. However, it was great to remember that there are so many diverse styles and although they may not be a fit for me, it is still important to maintain that awareness and respect.

I also have a renewed appreciation for IEY. There really is no place at home and sometimes it takes a short trip away to realize what you are missing. I am privileged to be apart of a community that truly cares about it’s members.