na·ma·ste

/ˈnäməˌstā/

exclamation

1. a respectful greeting said when giving a namaskar: a traditional Indian greeting or gesture of respect, made by bringing the palms together before the face or chest and bowing
2. a phrase used by yoga teachers at the conclusion of a yoga practice that translates to “I bow to you”

If you have any social media you have seen the term “Namaste”. You may know it relates to yoga, or just that it is a commonly parodied phrase used to sell T-Shirts and new-age coffee mugs (Namastay in bed thanks). Unless you have attended a yoga class or made an effort to find out, did you know it is a way of honoring someone else? All joking aside it is a powerful thing to honor yourself and others.

My journey with yoga ebbed and flowed throughout my life. I got a DVD from someone in high school and tried it out. I hated it. I wanted heart-pumping cardio, not someone to sit there and tell me to breathe. As a dancer, I was already flexible so I didn’t have much interest in what yoga was seemingly offering.

College makes life a little chaotic. I had two internships, a full-time job on the night shift at a bank, and was taking overload credits to graduate early (we are talking 4-year degree in less than 3 years).  When I abandoned roommate life to live solo in downtown Pittsburgh I signed up for a gym across the street that was always open. My dancing days behind me I started attending yoga classes to get that flexibility back and try to balance my crazy busyness.

The first class was terrible. The teacher was the stereotypical yoga teacher with beautiful long lines and unimaginable grace. I, about 50 pounds overweight and just getting back into fitness, was not inspired. I decided to give it a few more classes and see if it improved. The second class was completely different, including the teacher (the first class was actually a substitute).

This new teacher was older (probably in her 40s or 50s) and soft and matronly. Definitely not the type of fitness instructor I was used to seeing. Her strength and inspiration were infectious. Every class she pushed me a bit more and encouraged me to come out of my shell. After practicing for just a few months I realized that being a yoga teacher was something I really could do and wanted to work towards. I could be that atypical body type inspiring others to reach their goals. She helped me sign up for teacher training.

The next few months I had to make some tough calls about what I needed to do with my life and my future. For all the wrong reasons I moved away from Pittsburgh and back to my hometown in NY. Yoga got left behind as I entered the working world full time and had to find my way. I took a few classes here and there but none of the teachers inspired me or made me feel at home.

Years passed and I pursued other passions. In 2017 I moved to a suburb that had a community I couldn’t wait to get involved with. By pure accident, my neighbor told me about a new yoga studio that was opening up right in town. This one conversation set the wheels in motion all over again.

That night I signed up and took a class with my neighbor. Then I signed up for another class, then two, then the unlimited membership. It was obvious that I was pretty weak and out of practice but I never felt out of place. The vibe, the people, the energy, was all like the yoga I remembered. I realized that a single teacher or studio could make all the difference to your experience. I grew over the past year to doing poses I never have before (wheel) and growing poses that used to be difficult (bird of paradise). I am now studying inversions and growing my practice every single day. I plan on attending a yoga retreat this year and once again taking steps to my 200hr course to become a teacher to inspire others on this path.

What is it about yoga that brings me a spark? It is an alignment between yourself and the earth, the community, and your mind and body. The physicality of it is one small piece of the puzzle. Yes, I have gotten stronger and lost weight on my journey but more importantly, it forces you to have different conversations with yourself. It teaches you that in honoring yourself and others, you can achieve growth beyond your struggles and hardships. After the year the world just endured, I think we could all use the kind of peace and growth that yoga gives us.