It's been quite a while since we’ve published a Teacher Feature and it’s LONG overdue. So much has happened since June 2013. This area (Bay, Walton, Washington counties) has experienced an implosion of growth in the number of yoga instructors and available venues for students to practice in. And, there are so many up & coming instructors who have made themselves available to students from county to county by traveling between the various venues, primarily at their own expense, in order to spread the yoga love and build a sense of community.
Courtney is one of these instructors! I can’t tell you how long I waited to have
this fine lady become part of the “The Studio at Zen” team. Her reputation preceded her and I waited
(mostly patiently) until her time opened up so that we could experience her
passionate Ashtanga practice at our studio.
And what a lovely practice!!
She has this voice, sweetness, and a megawatt smile that would brighten
anyone’s day, but there’s so much more wrapped up into this tiny, energetic
package. She is dedicated, determined
and (did I already mention this??), passionate about yoga!
PCBYC: Courtney, tell us a little about initially
brought you to yoga?
In high school, I was on my school’s wrestling team in
Texas. I first started yoga as a way to deepen my flexibility and to “get in
the zone” with breath control practices and turning inward. Once I was “Zen”, I
would slam girls on the mat!!
PCBYC: Somewhere along this “student” path, you were
called to become an instructor. Can you
tell us more about that?
Being a big sister, I have always been an “instructor”.
I can remember sitting my brother down in my room when he was 4 and giving him
“class work” and “homework” teaching him math and writing. I think that
instinct came natural because my mom was a daycare director and is now a schoolteacher.
She was always teaching us fun things and I have always loved learning. So when
I began my yoga path, it naturally transitioned into wanting to share it with
others. I had this dream of moving to the beach and being a yoga teacher… and
here I am!!
PCBYC: Having talked to you in person, I know that
once you became an instructor you weren’t willing to stop there. You have a calling to make yoga a permanent
career and have taken some serious steps to make that happen. Can you tell us more about this path and what
your vision is?
I have taken some steps in my own life, including
starting another 200 HR certification to deepen my knowledge of Ashtanga and
going part time at my day job. Eventually, Pete and I would like to open up a
non-profit studio for yoga and meditation. We would like to host meditation and yoga retreats. I also have a desire to
put together a festival possibly in the Panama City Beach area.
PCBYC: You also have a life partner with you on this
journey…. would you care to share a little about Peter’s path and how you
integrate your separate pursuits into your lives?
My husband, Peter, is a yoga teacher and Mindfulness
Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher. He has his Bachelor’s in Social Work and
is currently working on his Master’s Degree. Peter volunteers at Second Chance
teaching yoga to people with traumatic brain injuries. Peter began Zen
Meditation in 2007, took his 5 precepts in 2008, and took his 10 precepts (to
become a Dharma teacher) in 2012. He received his training in MBSR by the
University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Peter is the only person in the
region that has currently completed his teacher training in MBSR. He volunteers
teaching an MBSR program to inmates at the Holmes Correctional Institution. Since
we both are on the same path of giving and helping others, our dreams and
pursuits are intertwined. We both have our own styles and ways of helping, but
we are very like-minded in many of our beliefs and goals.
PCBYC: We know that you love Ashtanga! But you are also very versatile…. what other
types of yoga do you enjoy instructing or practicing?
In my first 200 Hr
Certification, I studied various styles of yoga including a style of hot yoga
very similar to Bikram’s style, Flow, Yin, and of course Ashtanga. With that
mix as my foundation, I have really enjoyed playing with different ways to
express my practice and myself. I teach a weekly black light class that is a
lot of fun and almost trance-like. I also really enjoy being on the water for
SUP yoga.
PCBYC: How does your yogic path integrate with or
enhance the other aspects of your lives?
My yogic path is integrated into most aspects of my
life. Noticing my breath as often as I can and even using my Ujjayi breath when
it is totally inappropriate!! Most people look at the loud breather weirdly,
but I find it very soothing and a great way to calm myself! Yoga helps me to be
more centered and aware of my responses to situations. It reminds me of the
divinity in us all. That is why at the closing of most practices I end with a
quote from Gandhi that says, “I honor the places in you where the entire
universe dwells. I honor the place in you that is of light. I honor the place
in you that is of love, peace, happiness, and of truth. And I honor that when
you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, we are one.”
PCBYC: What inspires you about or what do you learn
from your students?
Everything!! I love watching their growth and their
“ah-ha” moments! They remind me to be humble and to always continue learning
with all of their questions and inquiries to go deeper into their practice,
which in turn helps me to also go deeper and learn more.
PCBYC: What about yoga makes you laugh? What touches you most deeply?
I have a fear of public speaking and that makes me
laugh. I picked a life path that includes a lot of public speaking and maybe
one day I will get past it, but maybe not. I just take it one class at a time
and enjoy the jitters and butterflies that I get when I’m teaching to a group
of people I don’t know. I am deeply touched by people experiencing their truth.
Whether that’s good or bad that day doesn’t matter, but being able to be with
them on that journey of self-discovery and peeling away the layers is a deeply
gratifying feeling. I am so fortunate to have this opportunity and am very
grateful to all the people who allow me to be a part of their practice.
PCBYC: Most yoga instructors also remain lifelong
students. What do YOU look for in a yoga
instructor or program?
I look for someone living a yogic life when looking for
someone to study long term with, like Caroline San Juan Czubaj, Ally Ford, and
Laura Lynn Jansen. Someone that is humble, has integrity, and is “walking the
walk”. I enjoy learning from everyone though. I feel like every time I take
someone else’s class I learn something new and adopt it as a part of my
practice. I have learned and say things I’ve learned from several of our local
teachers. Every teacher is unique and beautiful opening up his or her heart and
practice to share with the world.
PCBYC: What would you say has been the most
gratifying part of your yoga journey?
The most gratifying part
of my journey so far has been watching the transformational powers that yoga
has on people. Watching people find themselves either for the first time or
again is a beautiful thing.
PCBYC: Where are you currently teaching?
I currently teach at Studio at Zen, Studio by the Sea,
Yoga Elements, One Heart Yoga, and Phoenix Performance.
PCBYC: Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
In 5 years, I see myself still deepening my personal
yoga and meditation practices. I see myself continuing sharing my practice and
love with as many people as possible. I may even have a festival in the works,
but we will just have to see how it all comes together!
Many thanks,
Courtney for sharing a little bit of your life with us! We are blessed to have you here in the Panama
City area as part of OUR yoga journey!
