It’s impossible to explicate the countless ways in which the CorePower Yoga community has transformed my life over the past four years. As an avid practitioner of Iyengar, Bikram, and Hatha yoga; I was skeptical. One of my classmates at DePaul University invited me to attend her heated, level-two vinyasa class at the location closest to my apartment and I obliged on a warm Chicago evening in May 2011. It was the last few weeks of my undergraduate education and the first few weeks before my first year as a graduate student. I started my first official graduate class approximately 30 hours after my undergraduate graduation ceremony; needless to say, levels of uncertainty were at an all time high.
After the hour long practice with Taylor, weeks of liminal anxiety washed away. I had never experienced connectivity like that before; my body thrived in the heat and I was intoxicated by the rhythmic movements of my body, breath, and the music. After class, I floated home, drenched in my own sweat and I have been an avid CPY practitioner throughout the US ever since.
Of all the beautiful gifts CorePower has given me: an incredible community and mentors, education, the experience teaching yoga, opportunities outside of the studio, and 100s of studios to practice at coast-to-coast; the greatest gift I have received has been the opportunity to “show up and suck”. Originally said by CPY founder, Trevor Tice, since the beginning of my journey, I’ve been given permission to “show up and suck”.
At CorePower, I am consistently presented with new opportunities and challenges that place me outside of my comfort-zone*. I have a community of peers and mentors that encourage me to pursue my dreams and push past my present boundaries. Even when I stepped away from CPY management for a full-time “career” job, everyone supported me. Then, when I came back to teaching, everyone supported me.
At CorePower, I am given the tools and the resources to hold space for 1000s of students. My mentors have encouraged me to start when I did not believe in myself and they’ve helped me learn to live with the fact that I am not perfect and I will never be (nor do I want to be). Through consistent feedback, my teaching has grown exponentially and I’ve learned to accept my shortcomings and the support needed and the work necessary to change them.
It’s impossible to show up and suck alone; to be a beginner, perfectly imperfect. Through my experience, I’ve needed that small push of encouragement from my mentors and ‘omies’ to keep going and to step out in ways that make me uncomfortable*. As I sit here, uncertain as to what’s next, I am no longer frightened by the unknown. I know the best is yet to come because I am not afraid to put myself out there and “show up and suck” a few times before I find my flow.
May this post be a warm thanks to all the yogis that have uplifted my path and an encouragement to those who have not found theirs yet. Team work makes the dream work!
*Where the magic happens.