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| Graduation Spring 2008 |
Most of you probably know that Bikram Yoga is a huge component of my life. My relationship with Bikram Yoga is the truest, longest and purest relationship that I have. The reason(s) why I love Bikram Yoga could be discussed for days but in essence it changed my life. I became a teacher in the Spring of 2008 after graduating from the intensive nine week teacher training in Acapulco, Mexico And since that day Bikram Yoga has seeped into almost every area of my life....
My current yoga home is Bikram Yoga Ottawa. A beautiful studio located in the heart of downtown just two blocks from Parliament Hill (you can actually see part of Parliament from the studio windows or from the street below). BYO is located on the third floor above a McDonalds. I am not sure the correlation between hot yoga studios and fast food restaurants but there definitely appears to be one as they always seem to be in close proximity. BYO is the only affiliated studio in Ottawa! Many places here teach hot yoga or hot 26 but this one is the
only affiliated studio.
The studio owner was one of the first people I met upon arrival to Ottawa and quickly became someone I greatly admire. We both moved to Ottawa at approximately the same time to begin new adventures. For her it was opening BYO and mine was a ten month dietetic internship. Because both of us were newbies to Ottawa we developed a friendship by exploring the capital city together.
BYO is my home away from home. It is my favourite place in Ottawa to be and is the place I will miss the most. The studio owner has done a phenomenal job of creating a positive, supportive and encouraging environment for students and teachers to grow, learn and practice yoga. Because of this the community at BYO continues to expand daily.
It is a very special gift to be a part of a new studio opening. Because I moved to Ottawa before a studio location had been purchased I had the utmost pleasure of seeing BYO be built from the ground up. From drywall and plumbing to cutting mats and opening day. You get to observe all the hard work, thought and planning that goes into opening a yoga studio. Plus you see first hand how the yoga transforms peoples lives. Many of our students had never done Bikram Yoga before walking through BYO's doors ...
Over the last year we have seen the students at BYO transform their bodies, their minds and their lives. Often it is difficult to self-examine the physical and mental changes that happen but from the other side of the podium it is very profound. Bikram Yoga changes people's lives; one posture at a time, one class at a time, one day at a time. But eventually (or in the future) you wake up and your whole life is different.
The students and staff at BYO are unlike anything else in the city of Ottawa. The regulars greet first timers with smiles and words of encouragement. The front desk staff happily welcome everyone who walks through the door. The teachers all have a deep rooted love for the yoga that shines through when they teach. Overall it is a very beautiful studio to be a part of.
While taking class the other day the reality of leaving BYO hit me like a truck. The process of letting go of all my material possessions will be nothing compared to letting go of the studio. The students, the teachers, the owner, and the hot room have all become such an integral part of my life here in Ottawa. The studio not only provided me with a safe place to practice my yoga but it also gave me my best friends, my support system and a place to call home. My life here in Ottawa would have been dramatically different if BYO had never opened. Once again, the Bikram Yoga changed my life.
In addition to providing all of the above the studio owner transformed my teaching in many ways. She is one of the, if not the best, studio owner that I have had the pleasure of working with. Running a yoga studio or any business consumes the majority of your time, energy and money. Yet she has somehow found a way to efficiently and successfully manage the studio with a smiling happy face. She has a unique way of encouraging her teachers to become the best they can be. The amount of knowledge I have absorbed from the studio owner over the past year is remarkable. She provided me with the foundation to become a confident teacher again and continues to help me positively evolve as a teacher. Thank you so much!! :) I will admire her positive feedback, encouragement and personal strength forever.
To all the students, staff and work share at BYO thank you for making me part of your yoga family and allowing me the pleasure to guide you through class. You have something very special within those four walls - keep coming to the mat!
See you soon.... eventually or in the future,
Love Leah
