2023 Reflections
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Hoping that the transition into 2024 went as peacefully as possible!
As I think back on 2023, one of the more significant developments from the previous year was the beginning of my 300-hour advanced yoga teacher training with Yoga X/Stanford University’s Dept of Psychiatry. Stepping into the overlap between neuroscience and yoga blew me away and continues to fascinate me. Learning and practicing how to better weave yoga philosophy into my client sessions is a work-in-progress that is both enriching and humbling. Observing what lands well with each client and understanding why is subtly yet profoundly changing how I approach teaching.
Another memorable event was coaching an American creative executive for his presentation in his company’s international annual meetings at the Louvre in Paris. On the first day, I considered myself lucky to have succeeded in pulling him away from his team for a few minutes into an unused meeting room to do some grounding. On day 2, we were followed by one of his collaborators. By day 3, the whole team, despite their time constraints and lack of space/materials, were asking for daily yoga sessions (adapted for their environment and criteria)…
Yoga does not require a studio with natural lighting and zen-inspired decor. It does not require brand-name athleisure clothing and matching accessories. It can be practiced anywhere, anytime that anyone needs a moment to check in with themselves.
And now, here are some questions I would ask myself...
What does Yoga mean to me today?
Yoga is a multi-faceted practice that affects the way I experience life. It affects my physical state, my mental state, my emotional state… it influences how I eat, sleep, move and breathe. It changes how I perceive the world and how I interact with it. Yoga has crept into every part of my daily life.
What does my yoga practice do for me?
Yoga balances me out. It lowers my stress levels, thus allowing me to move and act in a more efficient manner. It reminds me to adopt a compassionate POV when possible. It increases my physical and psychological resilience. It improves my overall sense of myself.
What (more) would I like my yoga practice to do for me?
I would like my yoga practice to continue to deepen my awareness of myself in order to help others deepen theirs.
Why do I practice Yoga?
I practice Yoga to live.
And you?
Happy New Year.