i didn’t choose the yoga life… the yoga life chose me

As a yoga teacher, I cannot heal you. I cannot claim to be a therapist, a doctor, or a priest. I would never tell you that I have all or any of the answers to your problems. And yet, I’m more than a fitness instructor.

Yoga as a philosophy and a practice works by itself. It teaches that there is no separation between body, mind, and spirit. All issues stem from believing the illusion of separation.

I love being a yoga teacher because I am constantly learning to see the unity in all things, and out of that sight, live more effortlessly. My job isn’t really a job, but more a lifestyle. So far, this all sounds pretty “out there” and philosophical. To get a little more real, here is how teaching yoga has played out for me:

If you had met me a few years ago, you would not have said “Janan” and “yoga teacher” in the same sentence (unless the sentence was “Janan is not a yoga teacher”). I loved video games, partying, beer, and expensive cars. In fact, my life took an abrupt shift as I had decided to partake in teacher training only four months after I started doing yoga. And no–I was not a natural. To this day I can’t forward fold without bending my knees! As many of you readers have probably experienced, the practice was not about becoming a fitness model but more about getting real with ourselves. The physical sensations our bodies have to offer hook us to reality, and I enrolled in teacher training because I wanted to learn deeply about that. (After training, turns out I still love games, beer, and cars…shh)

What I learned is that my life is holistic. I can’t ignore emotions and expect my body to function well. If I let go of control and let grace do its work, I get to stress less and enjoy more. I find mental strength in acceptance of a physical situation. I get to not be perfect. When I work on doing this in myself and then tell my yoga class about it, I’m only sharing a truth. I love teaching yoga because I show people different ways of seeing this truth. You are in charge of the who, what, when, where, why, and how yoga transforms. That’s where any healing comes from.

I’m so glad life invited me to become a yoga instructor–not just because of the fame, money, or the ladies (jk). I’m glad because of the pure joy found in BEING and feeling close to other beings. I’m glad because I truly have no enemies, no drama, and lots of fun.