The Transformative Power of Yoga

I was a driven Type A outside sales women who decided to open her own startup business 10 years ago.

Being more in control of my destiny and the ability to make things happen my way brought down my stress levels but I still felt an undercurrent of anger when I paid attention and heard myself on more than one occasion predicting the only thing that was going to take me out (of this world) was my stress levels.

I had celebrated my 50^th birthday and thought, I have to at least try something that I will like to do and relieve some stress and anger.  I started trying different things and one was yoga.  I did it off and on, tried a few different studios and ended up at the Winnipeg Yoga Centre a couple of years ago.  That is where things really began to change.  There are many different teachers and many different styles of yoga to practice so when I began feeling a little restless with one there was always another class to try with another teacher. 

At first I thought, what a great workout, I feel more relaxed and practicing after work was the perfect way to shift into home life.  I found myself enjoying my evenings more and worrying or thinking about work less.  I also found I didn’t feel so burnt out which lead to less anger and stress.  Maybe I am on to something here.

As time went on I started noticing different things about myself, I began to examine old thought patterns and recognized that we all have a recording we play to ourselves that most times isn’t accurate or kind.  It can be anything but for me it was things like, this will never change or I don’t think I can do that (headstands) and just recognizing that helped me to stop those recordings and play kinder ones.

Now my body was getting stronger and my mind was getting stronger as well.  I wondered how I ever lived without yoga and where else I could go with it.  I decided to try the Teachers Training course and thought I would just do it for interest’s sake, I didn’t plan on teaching and I most definitely wasn’t going to stand on my head.  Well I learned if you quit resisting life it quits resisting you and now I not only stand on my head but actually find it enjoyable and I have started teaching classes.

I wake up many mornings and wonder “What is going to happen next?”  I’m excited.

In Peace

Brenda Parsons is a current member of the Yoga Centre Winnipeg 200 hour teacher training program