Planting Zen

To put it simply, “You cannot pour from an empty cup.” or however the phrase goes. The point being, you can’t take care of others, or do anything really, without taking care of yourself first. Teaching yoga can be very energetically draining. From planning the class, to transportation, the underlying stress of wondering if students will show up to your class, music, intention, just so many things that go into it. A yoga class, to me, is a spiritual experience. Inviting this full bodied awareness to the mind and heart…creating connections from the breath to all those spaces and places within the mind, body, and soul. It is beautiful, and I am so honored to be able to be the facilitator of this experience for others.

I will say it seems to be a very common thing, through my experience and in knowing others experiences, that when one begins to teach a lot their personal practice tends to wean off a bit. This happens to me every now and then, for you see balance is something I seek, but very seldom attain in my life. While juggling a new baby, moving into a new home, 3 jobs, my own budding business, relationships, family, etc during the spring time my personal practice became almost non existent, and I suffered. I wound up taking the entire month of May off from teaching and I lessened my expectations of myself in general. I focused on moving, and my family, and my Self. Before I re entered the teaching field I decided I needed a lifestyle change and meditated on what my ideal days looked like. I have always enjoyed the early morning time of day the best, so I began to create a schedule that suited that. My yoga class teaching /taking balance was definitely in need of adjustment, so I made the switch to 6am classes and set defined boundaries for my work/home life across the board of all my jobs to coincide with this new schedule. I made a commitment to take at least one in person yoga class a week, which I have kept up with since then by heading down the shore for Teri’s Fun Friday class on Sea Isle City beach, and wow what a game changer this has been for me! Taking the time for my own practice in a place with a teach that inspires me and invites my own creative juices to flow. It’s beneficial on so many levels to take the time for a class. If I don’t have time to run down the shore, I’ll take a class at my home studio Peace Love Yoga, or head to Hammonton to walk the shops and try to catch my friends at Forged Soul Fitness. South Jersey has some great yoga places! It’s such a wonderful thing to see everyone’s different personalities shine through their teaching.

I always learn something from every class whether it was about myself, teaching, yoga poses, or just a nice life lesson. Each class adds a little bit more to my cup, which allows me to better serve my teaching gift to others. It’s another beautiful cycle of life which I’m so very grateful to be part of.

Thanks for reading, friend ❤ I welcome any comments, questions, or feedback from this post. I hope you’re able to take an inhale, soften your shoulders, and relax into the exhale to give yourself a moment to relax ;P

Namaste,

Kristen