Where shoulders soften, hearts open and eyes begin to shine

A few days ago we began another yoga teacher training. This year marks ten years of teaching, and by now I’ve guided thousands of hours of trainings. Our last YTT finished at the end of January and since then we’ve been on a break. I’ve continued teaching drop-in classes and recorded a few online practices, but I haven’t been holding a group over time.

During our welcome circle, with 35 new faces around me, I felt a deep sense of excitement.

It’s hard to put these trainings—or experiences—into words. And somehow, it feels even harder to describe what it’s like to facilitate them.

Just as each student embarks on an inner journey, so do we. In just a few weeks, shoulders soften, hearts open, eyes begin to shimmer. Something shifts—often quietly, but unmistakably.

Sometimes I ask myself: could I imagine doing something different? And the answer is clear—not unless I have to. I know this is just a chapter, that life moves and changes, and we are asked to meet whatever comes. But in my ideal world, I will stay immersed in this work for as long as I’m here.

Nothing inspires me more than being surrounded by people who are willing to look closer, to feel deeper, to uncover what lives within them.

Because the truth is, there is so much inside of us waiting to be explored. But no one else can take us there.

We each have to be willing to step in, again and again.