My Secret Life as a Yoga Teacher, Learner, and Workshop Groupie

I often reflect on my yoga teaching journey and sometimes wonder whether I should have become a yoga teacher in Cape Town, especially when there are so many already. I know that sounds crazy, but I initially started practicing yoga because it was so enjoyable to me, not because I saw it as a business opportunity.

I spent most of my young life as a dedicated dancer but stopped some time in my 20’s and really struggled to find another exercise that I loved as much as I loved dancing. Boxing stuck for a while until I feel pregnant and had to stop. I dabbled in many other types of exercise over the years and even tried some yoga along the way – but very casually. I decided to go back to dancing socially for a while to fulfill my need for movement. Then, in my 30’s I found vinyasa yoga and I loved it. I loved the movement and flow; I loved the stretching component that I was so familiar with. It felt like the perfect synergy of expressive movement and exercise. Jackpot!  

I went on to practice yoga for 10 years and dabbled with the idea of doing my teacher training for the purpose of enhancing my own level and understanding of the practice. However, once I qualified as a teacher, I thought this is a skill I do not want to lose so, perhaps I should teach a little.

A Funny Thing Happens When You Become a Yoga Teacher

It was at this stage when I decided I wanted to teach, that strange things started to happen. I found myself going to class and not enjoying it like I used to. My mind started focusing on weird (and insignificant) things. I either over analyzed the class or I found myself thinking I would not do that. Do I do that?

Or I was clinging to ideas that I liked, and I would pre-empt the sequence. The way I listened changed. I was basically still in teacher training mode. The mindfulness and presence that I was so committed to in class also seemed to change. That feeling of bliss at the end of class can become slightly elusive. Where was it all going? Why was it changing?

I started to go to class less and, instead, self-practiced more. I became my own teacher. There are many benefits to becoming your own teacher, which is perhaps a topic for another blog.

As I aged, I realized that the type of yoga I taught and practiced was not enough for my body anymore. I needed more strength work, I need more cardio work, or I had to change what I loved doing. Whatever it was, something had to shift. This meant fitting in a more balanced exercise routine as well as practicing and teaching yoga. It started looking more like a “job”, where I was finding it hard to find time and space for it all or feel the results I was looking for. This was not a bad thing; it was just an observation of how it all started evolving. It all became a little less romantic than it used to be.

Lo and behold, a few years into my teaching journey, things started to shift almost naturally and with little resistance on my part. Now, when I do manage to get myself to a class, I go back to being the student, I tune out cues that I disagree with, and that need to learn, improve, perfect all the time has dissipated. I go there to flow and move and, that savasana bliss has returned. Phew!

However, I have also realized that I am no longer learning, and this has been hard to accept as a relentless seeker of knowledge. But I also knew I had to find other, more constructive ways to learn. So, I started doing more formal teacher trainings and a lot of short courses in between. It’s also why I seek out international teachers to follow and why I have become a little bit of a workshop groupie. Yes, this is a thing.

My Yoga Workshop Groupie Persona

I have found that yoga workshops are the way to satisfy my need to learn more, without having to spend hours in theory (which yes, I love but practice is more fun). I get to move, to practice, to talk yoga all weekend long and know I will not be judged by my fellow attendees. You always meet interesting people in workshop settings, and even if the connections are only fleeting, they are still meaningful and purposeful. And, while sometimes the connections lead to friendships, they all lead to learning. At the end of the session, my heart is full, my brain is fuller, and I am exhausted, in the most therapeutic way. Talk about having the best Savasana!

So, when my movement idol, Dylan Werner, who I have been following for years on social media decided to come to South Africa, of course I went. I felt intimidated by this amazing gravity defying yogi who is super strong, even more flexible, and above all humble. Yet he thinks he is none of these things. I suppose this is all relative, right? In my eyes he is a Yoga God – another title he will not want, I am sure. In his eyes, he is just a guy who loves to move as much as I do.

Anyway, back to the workshop subject. I signed up feeling totally intimidated. I also suspected that a lot of the people who will attend the workshop would also have these amazing talents and skills. Nonetheless, I put my ego aside because who would not want to learn from this person even if you may be well out of your league?

Before I continue for those of you who do not follow Dylan Werner, here is one of my favourite videos of him. https://www.instagram.com/p/CicWAYXqN_Z/?hl=en

I approached the weekend with a natural amount of trepidation and had no real idea what to expect. Firstly, it really was one of the most welcoming environments I have ever been in. Mixed levels and skills. Many teachers and loads of groupies just like me. That trepidation and fear was not necessary (is it ever?). Secondly, everyone was there to learn; it was that simple.

You know how they say “don’t feel self-conscious when you walk on the beach in your swimming gear because no one is looking. They are all more concerned with themselves”. Sorry but I don’t really buy this. Some people are looking.

Well, in this environment not once did I feel like someone was looking, judging, or comparing. I really felt we were all there to learn and, most of all, have fun. Which is what yoga, in part, is all about. We are all are there on our own journey dealing with our own stuff, be it physically or emotionally or spiritually.

So much of yoga is putting your own ego aside. That was so prevalent during this workshop. Putting your own ego down for a moment to show up in an environment, albeit an intimidating one. To see those – who are competent (and extremely confident) hand standers not having an over inflated sense of hubris – learning, teaching, and guiding was a truly amazing experience. Not one person was over attaching themselves to that sense of success or failure. Everyone was just absorbing it all and growing – together.

I am not sure if it was the genius of Dylan, or if it was the group of people he attracted or maybe a combination of both, but the atmosphere was incredible. I have been to many workshops (workshop groupie!) but this one was unique in terms of all of these important elements. And, although the workshop was physically demanding, there was a true sense of community, comradery, and support. No matter who you were in the room or your level of proficiency.

I guess what I’m getting at is that we learn from people who are better skilled than us and from those who are less skilled. I know this lesson in life and sometimes I forget for a moment, but this workshop and the way it was structured and executed really did emphasize it for me. The smiles on people’s face are still etched in my mind. The sweat from working so hard has stained my mat and my heart forever.

All About Yoga – Yoga Classes in Cape Town

Among the hundreds of yoga studios in Cape Town, it’s hard to stand out from them all. But, I created my private yoga studio in Vredehoek to be a place that invites you to come exactly as you are. Free of judgment, free of expectations, free of ego.

My in-studio and online yoga classes are structured in a way that accommodates all levels while focusing on building strength and gently pushing boundaries in a safe, controlled environment.

Some of the yoga classes that I offer include Vinyasa yoga, yoga for beginners, yoga for flexibility, and yoga for strength to name a few.

Contact me to find out more.