Pieces of the puzzle

Larapinta 2009 006
I did my first yoga class at the age of 21. I was young, stressed, anxious, insecure, hot-tempered, sad and lost. After one class I was hooked, and for the next 10 years I practiced regularly with the same teacher. Louise. My evolution was slow, very slow, yet steady. She showed patience and understanding and encouraged self-discipline. At times life took precedence and my yoga practice took a back seat. But it followed me everywhere I went, it was in my heart, it became part of me. I practiced alone, in group classes and attended intensive yoga immersions. It was always there; through family illness and death, break-ups, relationship problems, through injuries and even when the past reared its ugly head to torture me. It was there during pregnancy, childbirth and recovery. The practice of yoga has been the most constant thing in my adult life. It has taught me, and continues to teach me surrender, acceptance, tolerance, patience, understanding and most importantly, love. Of myself and others.
Today, 14 years later I have embarked on Teacher Training, for many reasons and with no expectations. For the past four years I had toyed with the idea, but I had many excuses not to commit – life was too hectic, I was pregnant, my kids were too little, I didn’t have the money, I wasn’t spiritual enough, enlightened enough, grounded enough… Perhaps I was just scared. But I’m not sure what exactly I was scared of? Actually, I do know. I was scared I wouldn’t be any good. Eventually, I let that go… I decided that didn’t matter. If I took the Teacher Training course and never taught a class in my life, then at the very least I had deepened my understanding of Yoga and myself.
4 weeks into the course I am physically exhausted but mentally energised. My mind is clear and sharp in a way that it has never been before. I am focussed and present in each and every task I complete, both in the course and in regular life outside the four walls of Tirisula. The study of pranayama, yoga theory, anatomy, chakras, the 3 gunas and the 6 systems of the human body has awakened something within me, ignited a hunger to learn more, to go deeper. Its as if all my yoga up to this point has been a puzzle and the pieces are finally falling into place – but only to complete one tiny corner of the bigger puzzle that is this life.
I am now 35 and after all these years I am more centered, grounded, calm, content, stable, grateful and in tune with my soul. I still have much to work on and unravel, but I would very much like to help others’ experience the benefits of yoga and help them transform their lives for the better. Even just a little a bit. With each breath and piece of the puzzle.
Skye, 200hr YTT January 2016