Yoga With Sandi

My process all depends on the student. I especially love working with people who are nervous to try yoga or who have to change thier practice and aren't sure how. Maybe they think the are too inflexible, too big, too old, too injured, or too something else. Whatever it is, it's just not true. A yoga practice is amazingly able to meet you exactly where you are. So when I work one on one with a new student, I find out where they are and we craft a practice just for them.

I did my 200 hour training as a yoga teacher through Three Trees Yoga and Healing Arts Center in Federal Way, Washington. I also did my training to be an Accessible Yoga Ambassador through Accessible Yoga (accessibleyoga.org).

The price depends on who is travelling, how far, how often, etc.

I resisted the idea of trying yoga for more than a year because I didn’t think I would fit. People who do yoga are thin, flexible, confident, and strong - everything I was not. I finally decided to try, but only because my first teacher was somebody I knew and trusted. As I began to practice, my perception of my body started to shift. However, even with a teacher I trusted, my very first yoga class was almost my last, because I felt completely defeated by one of the postures. Thankfully, my teacher taught me that most poses can be modified, giving me the confidence to continue my exploration of yoga while learning to take care of myself.

Unfortunately, she stopped teaching regularly less than six months after I got started. As I looked for another class, I discovered that some teachers didn’t feel as safe. I had a couple of experiences during that season that almost made me quit practicing. Instead, I began to dream of teaching. Now, my desire as a teacher is to provide a safe space, like the one I was given, for my students to explore the many benefits of yoga.

I've had students from early 20's to mid-80's. Those who have no physical challenges, and those who do. Many of my students can't get to the floor, so they use chairs. Others can't put weight on their hands or wrists, so we've found them alternatives that meet thier needs. I had one amazing student who was an amputee, but as nervous as she was getting started, she just needed permission to explore and discover what her practice could look like. Basically, I believe anyone, truly anyone, can pracitce yoga.

Don't give up!!! If a teacher or a class don't work for you, that's on them, not you! If a teacher doesn't give options that work for your body, again, that's on them. Your are under no obligation to meet a teacher's expectations or fit the picture of a posture that they have in thier mind. Keep looking until you find a teacher who will help you discover what your practice should look like. They might be hard to find, but they are out there, I promise!

Be honest! What, if anything, are you nervous about? What do you think are your challenges to learning? Find a teacher who leans in and know you can still have a rich, full yoga practice.

I had one private student who hadn't healed well after wrist surgery, so she thought she couldn't pracitce yoga any more. Thankfully she was able to express those hesitaitons, and I was able to help her respect where her body was at the time and to discover how rich her practice could be.