Teaching teachers

The Adirondacks is the perfect setting for inner exploration.

I took a big leap of faith this year and created an advanced yoga studies and teacher training program at the True North Yoga studio. We're set to begin in October and I am equal parts excited and scared. I struggle with feeling good enough as a yoga teacher so as I work on the lesson plans I must constantly remind myself that I have something to offer my teacher-trainees.

Teacher training was an amazing, transformative process for me. While I learned an incredible amount from my teacher, the lovely Tracey at One Yoga and Wellness Center in East Windsor, New Jersey, the real teacher was me. Teacher training required digging deep and taking a good look at myself. Through the self-exploration, I found power I never knew I had. Plowing through the Chakras showed me what I needed to use that power for. I was spiritually renewed, and I found I could teach because I trusted in a higher power to guide me.

By practicing asana after asana, meditating, discussing the philosophy of yoga and doing lots and lots of reading, I redefined myself. Even if I had never taught a yoga class, I had a new approach to life. And that's worth sharing.

What I have to offer is a safe, supportive environment for those who would like to take their yoga practice to a deeper level and explore inward. I can give them books to read, asanas to practice and guidance that comes from my own experience. I cannot teach teachers, not really, but I can create sacred space where they can teach themselves. It's going to be awesome.

(It's not too late to join us. There's more information and an application on our website. And if you're in Central New Jersey, check out the teacher training program at One Yoga.)

Homeschool 101

School in the top of the Goodnow firetower

Today is the first day of school in our district, but my son is happily sleeping in. We started our homeschool experiment three weeks ago and we are settling into a routine. He'll get out of bed soon and join me for a few yoga poses, write in his journal while I take a shower, then we'll have breakfast. During the week, when dad's at work and I have morning yoga classes, he'll bring his books to the yoga studio. He'll read for hours flopped on pillows in the meditation room and he's been quiet as a mouse.

At home, he's working on the fourth grade curriculum from Time4Learning. The lessons are all online and look like a computer game, which appeals to the geek genes he inherited from his programmer/network administrator father. To keep him from going completely over to the dark side, we're supplementing with Kamana for Kids, a home-study naturalist course for children from the Wilderness Awareness School in Washington State. And lots of hiking and just being outside, of course.

Music was my son's least favorite class in school, so I figured we try something different than the typical music curriculum. Luckily we have a very talented singer/songwriter in town and he agreed to give my son guitar lessons. I hope they all go as well as the first one. Rather than jumping in with lots of things to practice, they started the lesson by changing the strings on the kid-sized guitar. This involved lots of holding the strings and using tools and my son was very happy. When they started to play, my son was given permission to make any noises he wanted with the guitar, as long as he agreed to learn the basic stuff too. They're planning to listen to lots of music together, from classical to jazz and rock. This morning my son asked to play Guitar Hero on the Wii, so I think music might have moved up a notch or two.

All in all, my son is doing well with the new routine. I wish I could say the same for me. I'm still adjusting to my daughter being at college and I catch myself taking an extra plate out of the cabinet when I set the table. I can't seem to get to bed at a decent hour and it's throwing off my mornings. Transitions are never easy and I try to remember to be gentle with myself. Change, while scary, is often good, and compared to some changes in my life, this is nothing.

My Healthy Little Secret

The only thing I cook well is breakfast. Pancakes, waffles and omelets are my specialties. I can also bake pretty well, when I have time. It's hit-or-miss if dinner will be edible. I have five easy "safety meals" that I know my family will eat. Which is why all my attempts at creating healthier eating habits - vegan, whole foods, greens - have failed miserably. I can't stick with it and cook dinners anyone wants to eat.

One of my yoga students introduced me to Isagenix products. I have to admit I was skeptical at first. She finally convinced me to try a couple of servings. Then I bought a canister. Then a complete system. I was hooked, and here's why:  I felt better.

One shake in the morning with breakfast keeps me full until lunch, and my energy levels are staying even. That's pretty important to me, since most mornings I teach at least two yoga classes back-to-back. It can be very distracting when my stomach rumbles and my hands tremble. And my muscles are recovering faster after Yoga Body Shop, when I add hand weights and resistance bands to the yoga practice.

And dinners? Well, I've been working on healthier versions of my "safety meals," adding more veggies and cutting out as much processed food as I can. Making changes over time means I'm not trying to talk a nine-year-old into eating a plate of kale that I've cooked to death when what he wants is a taco. (That nine-year-old likes the shakes, too.)

I'm going to do my first 9-day Isagenix cleanse in just over a week, in time for summer to turn to fall. I'm really impressed with the products so far and I'm looking forward to trying more. My yoga students who've tried it have been very successful losing weight and keeping it off with the Isagenix products, while improving their energy level and mood.

It's more fun to cleanse with a group of friends who can support each other during the cleanse and afterwards. Check out the video below for more information. If you'd like to join me, email me at truenorthyoga(at)gmail.com.