PCBYC: Addison, tell us a little about your “yoga
history”….how did you get started, and what drew you to yoga?
For the past several years I've
been drawn to fitness, and challenging the body; and once I heard from my
mother how difficult her yoga classes were it peaked my interest. After going
through just one amazing class I was hooked. So for a couple of months I would
go to two yoga classes a week and then practice what I learned on my own. Until
that blossomed into me wanting to have yoga apart of my daily life.
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 never decided to become a yoga
instructor, it sort of just manifested itself. I went on vacation in Costa Rica
with my sister and my nephew, and while I was there I stumbled upon a teacher
training course that was starting while I was there. My intentions were to
deepen my physical practice, but midway through the month-long course I grew
into an instructor. It felt so natural and rewarding to me that it just made
sense to continue on the path as a yoga instructor.
PCBYC: Once you became certified, how did you go
about breaking into instructing here in the Panhandle?
Initially I was a bit nervous
about applying to places to instruct at, but then I realized that I wasn't
applying for a job but applying to share with others what I had learned. Once I
changed my outlook it felt extremely natural and effortless. I started off at
Yoga For You and then eventually was asked to sub classes at other studios and
gyms, which led me to teaching regularly in several wonderful spaces.
PCBYC: What would you say a typical day of yoga
looks like for you?
I feel that yoga is a very
intuitive practice, because your body tells you what need and when you need it.
Key is to listen to those signals that your body is sending. So my days vary on
what postures I flow from. I do take time each morning when I wake up and
dedicate it towards some breath-work and some mellow yoga postures. The rest of
the day is usually filled with some sort of yoga, whether it be a class I
teach, a class I take, or just some casual breath-work on the beach during the
sunset.
PCBYC: Do you have a favorite pose? Why?
Favorite is a tricky word. I tend
to go through phases of poses I like more than others, but overall I love the
challenge of them all. I do think it's important to practice the poses you
favor less than others though. There's a message to be learned through all of
the poses, so if you have resistance towards any certain pose probably means
you should spend more time on it.
PCBYC: What about yoga makes you laugh?
I think yoga should always have
room for laughter. It should be fun and comfortable enough for laughter and any
given moment.
PCBYC: Do you feel there is a difference between
studio yoga and classes conducted in other venues?
I think there's a difference in
the aesthetics, or appearances of yoga studios compared to other venues, but do
feel that the overall message is the same. Yoga is yoga, whether it's in a yoga
studio, a gym, an airport, or even just in your own room. Taking the time bring
awareness to your body and breath is important regardless of the setting.
PCBYC: How does your yogic path integrate with or
enhance the other aspects of your life?
It's integrated with everything
that I do. I don't think initially I had the intention of letting yoga guide my
life, but over time my personal experiences have led me to correlating yoga
with everything that I do. I think yoga is an experiential practice, you can't
really describe what you're supposed to feel from a yoga class but you can
experience it for yourself and subjectively look at the results.
PCBYC: What do you learn from your students?
I learn how to be a better
instructor as well as how to maintain my own personal practice. My students
inspire me to continue my training as a instructor and help me stay focused on
the goals I have. Each class is different, with different ages and body types,
so having different people to work with helps me identify what certain people
might be needing out of a class. I'm constantly learning from my students and
am so grateful to have them.
PCBYC: How have you remained a student yourself?
I still love attending classes
any chance I get. Especially when it's a style of yoga I haven't tried before.
There's so much knowledge out there that I'll remain a student for the
remainder of my life, which really excites me. Endless knowledge is a great
thing, because I'm constantly learning new ideas and methods and applying them
to my life.
PCBYC: What would you say is the most gratifying
part of being a yoga instructor?
Being able to share with other
people what I've been taught. Everything that I teach I have experienced myself
and have seen the benefits. So being able to share this knowledge with others
is extremely gratifying. Seeing people challenge themselves is a wonderful
thing, and being the one to help them do that is even better.
PCBYC: What inspires you about yoga? How have you developed your style?
The challenge of bringing balance
to your mind and body, to your whole life. Life isn't always easy, and having
yoga to come back to is extremely comforting. I've developed my style based on
harmony. Just like with music our lives have a harmony or a melody that flows
us through our day to day. Sometimes the melody might have a wrong note in it,
but just being aware of when the wrong notes are being played is key. So I've
developed my style into trying to maintain the balance, to keep the harmony
flowing in your life so that you can dance through your life with ease.
PCBYC: Where do you see yourself as an instructor
five years from now?
The future isn't definite or
carved in stone, so trying to imagine where I'll be is difficult to me. I do
know that I'll still be helping others and continuing my personal education to
enhance my teaching skills. 
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