Why I want to do...

From your perspective, what is the role of a yoga teacher? Take into consideration your own experience, your ideal, and your goals as it relates to teaching yoga.

I personally have many activities of daily living which incorporate the importance of a properly functioning body.  Many individuals have encountered physical and mental challenges of balancing a healthy mind and body. Physical setbacks have occurred during activities of daily living. For example, I had to rehabilitate my knee after a physical setback of a torn ACL. I experienced the frustration and the stress of both physically and mental challenges of improperly functioning body. One component of the role of a yoga teacher is educate others to increase flexibility, to stretch, and to physically prevent injuries; furthermore, as a yoga teacher, it is important to be able to correct body positioning and to hone in on proper alignment to help others strengthen their body with both exercising agonistic and antagonistic muscles all in order to keep the body musculature balanced and thus prevent injuries.

Another key component of yoga is the philosophy and intertwined with this is the meditative practice.  By physically stretching, strengthening, balancing the body through exercise, breathing, and (equally as importantly) exercising the mind to let go, to focus, and to be open, the practice of  yoga allows the mind, spirit, and body to connect as a whole. In turn this allows individuals to be able to focus on, to de-stress, and to improve an individual’s overall quality of life. Sometimes this holistic component of mind, body, and spirit cannot be actualized without guidance. With everyday physical challenges, stress (each a personal task to each unique individual), sometimes an individual needs guidance. Sometimes the challenge is “not knowing”. A yoga teacher is someone who can educate and guide another individual. A yoga teacher is a valuable and educated resource who can guide and continue to expand their own practice for both helping others as well as benefiting their own practice.  Sometimes we all need a reminder to breath. 

           I have come to deeply appreciate the importance of a properly functioning body. To integrate this passion for fitness and for my sincere aspiration to serve, I am aspiring to become a trained yoga teacher in order to educate others in their own understanding of physical well-being.

I am additionally studying Physical Therapy and would like to be able to combine the information learned from both Yoga and Physical Therapy to help educate people to appreciate their own bodies with preventative care. I would like to incorporate yoga and Physical Therapy and eventually be able to educate patients and clients in yoga therapy.