TAMMY’S LITTLE YOGA JOURNEY

I had been living a very practical life, going to school, paying off student loans and making my way to being successful in the grown up world.  I had wanted to be a yoga teacher for a few years but practicality and probably fear pushed it away from the forefront of my normal daily grind.  Why a yoga teacher?  Profoundly so that I could bring some peace and calm to this crazy world and not so profoundly so I could bring some silliness to yoga so that maybe it could be a bit more fun than serious; since I’m very good at silly!!  The pull of your dreams will always override and in January of this year I heard about a teacher training being held in India.   I would be gone for 5 and a half weeks total in a strange land with 45 strangers to learn the intricacies of yoga… did I mention that it was India or buy a house? I applied to the program and snatched up the last spot with my essay and application, cleaned my bank account of my life savings to write a large cheque, booked a flight and took off to India on the 23 of February! 

It was the scariest thing I have ever done to walk through the departing gate at Toronto airport, leaving behind all the certainties and all the comforts and knowing that the next step would change my life forever.  5 weeks, 3 yoga classes a day, hours of lectures and unavoidable soul searching , vegetarian meals mostly unrecognizable, near death driving experiences, morning wake up calls from sneering ginormous crows,  start time of 6 and an end time of 8 , just in time for dinner….no steak and potatoes…  Physically grueling and yet liberating, finding a physical endurance and strength inside of you when you think you have nothing else to give.  Add the mentally exhausting component making it truly the most challenging things I have ever done but because of all of this making it the greatest accomplishment too……….to date anyway!

I was initially teaching at 8 studios throughout Toronto but not sustainable with a full time job so I have narrowed it down to 3 studios.  I’m also working with a couple of organizations to be involved in a volunteer yoga program for young girls with eating disorders as well as a shelter for abused woman, to help ensure the awesomeness of yoga reaches out.  My ultimate dream and goal is to open my own studio. I guess this is all testament that dreams prevail!