Yoga, A Path to Becoming

I love to hike and this love makes up a a large part of my essence, but I feel this passion would still be buried deep if I had not discovered the Yoga tradition. And when I speak of Yoga, I’m not referring to the capitalized fad we see spreading across the country and even the world. To me, Yoga is something that’s instinctual, runs deep through my veins and offers freedom from the burdens of thought and habit. It’s this tradition, this concept anyone can follow, no matter who you are or where you come from. Yoga after all means to Unite.

The world of Yoga was first introduced to me through a video while living at Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia. It was” Yoga For Back Care,” by Rodney Yee and like many, I sprinted out of the starting gate, did my video everyday for like,,,, a week, then the winter started up, people flocked to the mountain and I began working long days being a ski boot tech. The mat was folded up and left in the corner collecting dust and the DVD sat in the player for months. Pocahontas County where Snowshoe is located, is very isolated and to put it simply, backwoods America. Yoga was non existent and although the idea of Yoga was pushed to the wayside, I never completely let it go.

Moving to Western North Carolina was the polar opposite of West Virginia. The Asheville area is a melting pot of religions and traditions and in this big old pot, brewed the Yoga tradition. Straight off I became overwhelmed and put off because my judgement concluded Yoga was an over priced exercise program. I wanted to go to a Yoga class, but I was broke and couldn’t afford it. And the one class I did go to, I struggled to do the poses, the instructor  adjusted my hips in a way that strained a hamstring and quite honestly, I felt very out of place so I never went back.

So I stopped thinking about Yoga. I had put the idea out in the trash and was ready to send it off, that was until I met Jerome. Jerome was this big black dude that worked in the paddling department at the outfitter I was working for. He was quiet, mystifying and always greeted me with a smile. With time we got to know one another and  he began to introduce the concept of meditation to me. He had noticed I was a hard worker, a good problem solver and that I was a people person. He watched me be busy, moving quickly from task to task. He also noticed my tense shoulders, hurried walk and my inability to take a full breath of air. I will never forget the day he carefully informed me of his observations and his invitation to my first meditation class.

So let’s jump four year ahead to current day. I obviously did not throw Yoga away, instead I’ve discovered it’s another part of my being. I could write a book on my experience with Yoga and how it has impacted my life, but I mean it, I could write a book. Jerome introduced me to a practice which has allowed me to become reconnected with myself. The teachings are very traditional, modern day practical and for me, intuitive with a bit of scientific proof. It’s more about me observing my habits, character and my interpersonal relationships with the people and the world around me. It’s been eye opening, inspiring and at times, messy as hell.

I live life through my experiences and intuition. I have tried other ways to carve out my life’s path, but the only place I make it to is a dead end, having to back track, and start over again. Listening to my heart seems to lead me in the right direction so I’m gonna listen to it. The latest quest I have embarked on was enrolling in a 230 Hr. Yoga Therapy Teacher Training Program at a local studio. It seemed so fitting. For the last four years Yoga alongside with hiking have become an intricate form of therapy for me, and much more than that, a way of life with a soulful purpose. 

I wanted to get to know the tradition more intimately, learn it’s language, dive deeper into understanding of the body and felt I needed to be around like minded people. It was time to get out of my cocoon and take my practice outside my private abode. It was time to take another Yoga class. Yep that is right, my first day of teacher training was in fact my second Yoga class ever with other people. Up until training I had private Spiritual guidance from Jerome and developed a Hatha and meditation practice in the comforts of my home and on the trail.

Yoga Therapy Teacher Training has brought more to the table than I could imagine. For the last seven months I’ve read more than I could regurgitate, have attempted to teach myself how to study and have written in a daily journal even when I’ve had nothing to say. I’ve gone to heaps of Yoga classes, hoping to actively learn the Asanas (poses) and have attempted breathing techniques that almost made me throw up. I’m personally correcting poor shoulder alignment and learning more about the human anatomy and physiology systems than I bargained for.

I have faced self doubt and have questioned my dedication to the Yoga tradition, but then I have moments that remind me why I will make a great teacher one day. My never ending challenge is taking all of the different parts of me, blending them together to get me where I need to go. Currently a lot is in motion for me. I have high hopes to graduate from teacher training in May, I’m working with Jerome to establish the Asheville Mediation Center and in April I begin leading guided hikes with my friend Jennifer Pharr Davis, where I will also be able to develop and lead outdoor Yoga programs.

Many dreams are coming true, but it’s taking time and requires patience. When I think with my head, I hit road blocks, but when I tune into my heart, life flows freely. I feel ready to lead people into woods, exposing them to a world they may not currently see.    I want to show people how to move through the woods and hope to create awareness of why wilderness conservation is so vital to our planet. I feel this mother earth is a part of us, she is what unites us all and is where our vitality originates. She has selflessly nurtured and taken care of me  and I now feel compelled to give back.


Namaste (I bow to you),

Mel