Musings
H d e o a o l t G h d G n u a a y r t i a v n e t g e e n d! o L By Yoon Cho
Illustration by Curtis Settino
“You feel so lost, so cut off, so alone, only you’re not. See, in all our searching, the only thing we’ve found that makes the emptiness bearable, is each other.”—Carl Sagan, Contact I’m more than halfway into my first year of teacher training,
one end to elation, excitement, and gratitude at the other.
As fear of death subsided, I actually began to enjoy our classes and the amazing faculty members at the Institute.
I have been most pleasantly surprised by the esprit de corps of
After a move to the Bay Area for my husband’s job late last
our group, fostered through intense learning and growing
year, I finally investigated and applied to the program, deluding
together in the program. I came to the Iyengar Yoga Institute of
myself that I would participate simply for the knowledge and to
San Francisco alone, but I will never be alone again because
deepen my practice. After all, the official name for the program
now I belong to a community of people who care deeply about
is Advanced Studies/Teacher Training.
and I cannot help but look back and take stock of the journey so far. My emotions have ranged widely from profound unworthiness, controlled panic, and impatience with myself at
teaching and practicing Iyengar Yoga. Shortly after the program began, I realized what an Before applying for the program at the Institute, I had always
overwhelming flow of information I had to take in—and the
been interested in teacher training but never followed up on
program really asks a minimum of what is needed to become a
my urge to explore. I’m not a particularly flexible person
teacher. I have felt at times that I was trying to drink from a fire
with effortless form, nor was I ever disciplined enough for
hose, but instead, the fire hose, with its monstrous and raging
consistent home practice. And I had never taught anything
stream, had me pinned against the rope wall (especially after
before—though I do enjoy lecturing my sister, my husband,
five hours of anatomy on Friday afternoon, followed by three
and close friends.
hours of asana).
28
Yoga Samachar Fall 2013/Winter 2014
