This weekend I started a new chapter of my life, I joined the 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) program at Body & Soul.
I have been eyeing this program for the past 2 years, but the timing was never right. The Universe though, has a magnificent way of working!
Too often we are not silent enough to listen to the Universe and we miss the message all together or we are too eager to pursue something before we are really ready.
Every day, my Ego and Higher Self attempt to pull my mind, body and soul in varying directions.
I define Ego as our internal protective mechanism. It wants to keep us safe and in doing so it can keep us stagnate in our growth. Ego tries to keep us in ‘fear mode’ and limit our full potential.
Our Higher Self on the other hand, knows our potential is limitless. It knows about our endless dreams and intentions hoping they come to fruition. Our Higher Self wants us to succeed and push us beyond our wildest thoughts and dreams.
If we can get past our Ego, the fear, the worries and the self-limiting stories we tell ourselves, we begin our journey towards endless success and growth.
Five years ago, I started this transition into recognizing the spiritual potential in my life. Until that point, I continually searched for a spiritual path that fit who I was and more importantly who I wanted to be, but I always came up short.
Recently, my spirituality began showing up more frequently as I started turning inward, letting go of all the limiting expectations placed upon me by the outer world.
I find myself often asking questions like, “why am I here” and “how can I be of the greatest service to myself and others on this planet?” I then sit in silence, repeating a mantra and utilizing tools such as a mala, palo santo and a candle to help me connect with my soul. The hussle from the outside world goes silent and I am able to hear the sounds of my soul speaking to me.
I will be the first to admit that meditation, silence, and inward expression are challenging. When I started sitting on my yoga mat each morning, 90% of my time was consumed by external thoughts (“What am I supposed to be doing today? Where are my keys? How do I help that person heal?”), but day after day those external thoughts decreased and sitting in silence was now even more attainable.
It’s not always easy, external thoughts still try to flow in and out of my brain during my meditation, but now I am more keenly aware of these thoughts; I am able to sit with them, recognize that they entered my consciousness for a moment and then let them pass – no longer clinging to each thought.
What is amazing and soul-fulfilling to me, is that this practice has left my yoga mat and has become part of my day to day living.
A few weeks ago I noticed that the injustices of the world were seeping into my mind and creating a negative story reel in my brain. I found myself being angry for things I could not control which left me on a downward spiral. These negative and inhumane stories were being fostered in my subconscious and affecting mood. After a few hours, I started to recognize what my subconscious dialog was doing, so I took a moment to reflect on these external influences.
I took out my journal and wrote down all the thoughts I had in my head. That way my conscious brain could see what was going on. I knew I couldn’t heal all the injustices of the world in that moment, but I could send a prayer, my thoughts, and lots of love to the earth and continue to devote my energy into the positive vibrations of the world.
When I saw that Julia & Scott Theisen, owners of Body & Soul, were offering the 200 hour YTT, I knew this time the Universe was aligning in my favor. This program spans 9 months, where we meet once a month Friday-Sunday for all day intensives. We learn the basics of yoga, but more importantly we dig deeper into our own self-awareness and continue the journey to our highest potential.
We spend time unpacking some of our subconscious thoughts, self-limiting beliefs and negative thoughts which often shape our mind.
My goal is to continue to evolve as a human on this planet and this course is helping me to grow my mind, body and soul. Right now I don’t have plans to teaching yoga after this 9 month course, but I never limit myself to the possibility.
I will continue to sit in meditation and allow for my Higher Self to lead me on this beautiful journey of life.
Namaste,
Stephanie