From PCBYC..... I heard about
Jacqueline Bell long before I had the privilege of meeting her. Coming out of my teacher training, I was
looking for a place to start….although the Visual Arts center was a long way
from where I live, I heard they were going to start offering yoga. Upon inquiry, I found that there was one
other instructor they were waiting on – but she was in India getting her
training! Turned out it was Jackie!! Fast forward a few months and
I hear that we have a newly-certified 500 RYT instructor coming to our gym (what a coup)! My first thought….here is someone we can
really LEARN from! Voila - again, it was Jackie...and I wasn’t
wrong….she is lovely, an amazing teacher but more than that, an energetic
go-getter who takes yoga to new heights!
If you don’t already know her, you should….Meet Jacqueline Bell!
PCBYC: Jackie, tell
us a little about your “yoga history”….how did you get started, and what drew
you to yoga?
I have been teaching yoga close to 5 years now and have
completed three teacher trainings through Frog Lotus Yoga International. I
attained a 500hr advanced yoga teacher certification studying in the rainforest
– Calhuita, Costa Rica, the jungle- Sayulita, Mexico, and Kerala, India,
overlooking the Arabian Sea. I am continuously studying J
I offer my students new techniques and information, while staying in-tune with
the original practices and principles of Yoga.
I have been at peace at the dance studio(s) for as long
as I can remember. At 22 I was taking a modern dance class when my
teacher Hope’ Harris told me the studio (at that time) needed a third teacher
for the younger classes. I had 7 classes that year and LOVED my immersion into
teaching! The next year Hope’ and I danced and taught at a different venue
where a yoga class was offered at the studio and I fell in love. Slowing down,
breathing deeply and consciously, combined with moving in new ways was so
blissful. I needed more knowledge of this beautiful practice and to travel
deeper within myself. Infinitely I wanted to share with others. The first
yoga class I took I was 18. On that day I had no idea that some day I would be
here holding space for others. Enjoying my profession as greatly as I do has
been an incredible gift!
PCBYC: So, once you
became a serious yoga student, how long before you decided to pursue yoga
instruction as a path? How did you
choose your YTT training – what was the criteria?
I went online and searched many different schools.
I found many different styles, studios/places and teachers. I was drawn to Frog
Lotus Yoga. Vidya Jacqueline Heisel and
Jennifer Yarro. My three trainings were with FLY and I would go back to
them in a heartbeat. They taught me care and understanding, safety and
ethics, but most of all True love and light.
PCBYC: You teach
just about everywhere….how do you go about putting that schedule together?
Our Teacher Training gave us
insight into the business of yoga. I am
a social person and I love the different aspects of teaching different groups
and types of students. It is fun! Through all of this, I have gained a
permanent following. I am now hoping to
channel my energy into a few select spaces that allow me to focus &
reflect.
PCBYC: Do you have a
favorite pose? Why?
All yoga poses are my favorites,
but I especially love Dancer…but,
actually if I chose a true favorite it would be Crane/Crow because it is
very empowering for me. I have a long
torso and long arms….this made it difficult for me to find my Crane, so having
mastered it gives me a sense of joy.
PCBYC: What about
yoga makes you laugh?
I smile to myself when I’m practicing and I become clear
and the inner voice says “Everything’s Perfect.” But my favorite is most likely
when that voice says “it’s not that serious” whatever or however serious “it”
had seemed.
Smiling and laughing is very healthy , and especially
with yoga! “a happy mind is
medicine”-Unknown
PCBYC: Do you feel
there is a difference between studio yoga and classes conducted in other
venues?
Hard question J Yes and no. The vibe
at an “all yoga all the time” studio to me is a little extra electric. If the
space to practice is welcoming, the atmosphere seems to have a whimsical secret
waiting to be heard by those who’ve come to listen J
PCBYC: What do you
learn from your students?
Everything! The teachings of Yoga work on a grand
level by being able to, see, hear, feel and know the light and loving
intentions shared with others. I am so lucky to learn every single day from one
or maybe more enlightening students. The students also learn from each other. I
believe the yoga community is very giving in this way!
PCBYC: How have you
remained a student yourself?
Yoga is a lifelong learning
experience! I learn by traveling, taking
other people’s classes, going to workshops to learn new styles &
disciplines, reading books, magazines and Yoga Journal emails. I like to keep up on the exciting new styles
and innovations.
PCBYC: What would you
say is the most gratifying part of being a yoga instructor?
The energy! The sharing of feelings with people from all
walks of life. Seeing the transformation
tools that reside within the students ….the change that happens within 1
hour….the radiating eyes, the color in the face and the inner smile whether it
is visible to the human eyes or not!
PCBYC: What inspires
you about yoga? How have you developed
your style?
My private personal practice has
been a source of inspiration for me. At
home, I can play with a flow, develop something that I know my students will
really enjoy! I also use meditation. I have a dancer’s background, so I like to
get up in the morning and just dance & flow and see where the yoga takes
me.
PCBYC: Where do you
see yourself five years from now?
With a few more stamps in my
passport, a You Tube Channel video, maybe some DVDs to share with people who
want to practice but whose schedules don’t allow them to come to class. I will be healthy, learning & growing and
on my way to longevity on a happy & enlightened path.
PCBYC: It has been a
pleasure getting to know Jacqueline, working with her, taking her classes, and
having her as a dear friend! Come out
& enjoy her instruction – and check out her website http://yogabyjackie.com – she really is one
of the best instructors in the area! And I have a feeling the universe is going to deliver big things for her in the near future!
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