First Priority
Your first priority is to find a teacher to be your Guide.
I spend a lot of time leading classes… yoga practices, teacher training sessions, corporate workshops, you name it… those moments when the “right” student shows up and lights-up with the topic, that’s the highlight of my role as a teacher. However, as a life-long student, I can’t decide which I like more, being the facilitator of such light (role of teacher) or being the student and having a guide to support and facilitate my own enlightenment.
I’ve had a lot of teachers in my years. Some good, some not-so-much, and some phenomenal. They’ve all taught me something that has served me to this day. Some of my favorite teachers? My parents, Ms. Stefans, my kids and dogs. I’m more of an “I wanna love dogs kind of person than a real true dog lover. In fact, most dogs confirm my decision to NOT be a dog owner. But before you unfriend me for not loving dogs, let me explain why Pumpkin and teachers are the content of tonight’s sharing.
See, Pumpkin has made me love her like no other! and even encouraged me to give all dogs a little more love. Pumpkin is the puppy client of our very own Nicole (@walks_wags_with_love) and the puppy of our yogi friends Clare & Cheryl. Either of these conditions alone makes Pumpkin super cool. But to prove my point, Pumpkin is so cool she even has her own Instagram account (pumpkin_md). I definitely follow her, and so should you! (does this make me cool by association?).
But seriously, Pumpkin has been a powerful teacher to me. She is ALWAYS grateful to see (and make new) friends, she minds her manners (i.e. she doesn’t jump on me) and she has a beautiful down dog.
Like Pumpkin, I am grateful to see and make new friends, I try to mind my manners and I have a pretty good gown dog, too :). However, Pumpkin’s delight and joy are contagious and that’s how I want to live. I want to bring joy and share the joy with others by just showing up.
To me, Pumpkin is a master of Transparent Alignment (TA), and even though I created TA, I am still a student of the practice. TA is the underlying philosophy of my parenting style, workshops, yoga classes, coaching sessions, and my life’s work. Chances are good that if you’ve spent any time with me, you’ve heard me speak of the three components of Transparent Alignment: Intention, Attention, and Action. Applying these three components to the yoga philosophy of the Pancha Koshas (layers of the self), I’ve developed a strategy for Inspired Living. Pumpkin, being such a great teacher, seems to already know how to do it. For me inspired living depends on breathing deeply, moving freely, laboring lovingly and living vibrantly. Do you know what enables you to do these things? When I discovered yoga and yoga-based coaching, I learned to breathe deeply and move freely. That was pretty significant since I had just spent the last year bed-ridden after a traumatic bicycle accident. In learning to breathe and move again, I found my life’s work. I found how to live vibrantly by doing the work that is a labor of my love. And as a result of that work, I found many of you and I found me.
If you want to learn more about Transparent Alignment, dive in for my Fall Yoga Retreat dedicated to Inspired Living. Join me for a cozy stay in Chestnut House (see the delightful sitting room below!) at Fox Haven Retreat Center in Jefferson, Maryland for a 3-night/4-days women’s (sorry guys, next time!) yoga and inspiration retreat. October 5-6-7-8, 2018. Food, lodging, fluid schedule of creative activities, yoga and meditation, naps and walk in the country all abundantly available, accessible and included. No experience is required (with yoga, retreating or living inspiration-ally!)
For more of a bite-sized portion of yoga philosophy, join me for an individual Life’sWork Coaching Chat or one of my Coaching Circles: Women’s Circle for women (which starts its 3rd year (!) this Saturday, 9/22 at 2pm with a dive into the work of Brene Brown) and Guru Circle for wellness practitioners (next Guru features acupuncturist Isabelle Davidowitz on October 10).
However you chose to study, and whoever your teacher, dive into finding your life’s work so that you can increase your vibrancy and joy! If you’d like to learn more about how I can serve as a Companion Guide for you to discover your own Transparent Alignment, I would be honored! Just reply”I want more” to this love note! And if you want to enhance your down dog, you can find me at Namaste Studios for personal or public practice! What are you waiting for?
Breathe deeply, move freely, labor lovingly and live vibrantly,
-Kimberlyn
