Beauty Report: My Students’ Progress

My student wanted to know how long she’s been coming to my classes. I told her about 3 months. She told me “I’ve lost 12 pounds. My mother notices it when we Skype.” I’m so happy that she feels better in her body, and happy for the pride she is growing for herself at her accomplishment.

My student wanted to sell his business and follow his heart. It took about two years, but he sold his business and is now figuring out this new phase of his life. I’m so proud of him for following his heart. I’m so inspired by his generosity to those who know him, including me, his fortunate teacher.

My student wanted to see movement in her feet. She said “they’re frozen, like dead.” Within a few months, space and breath started coming between her toes, and now she is a full-on lover of the breath. “I thought you were a little weird at first, talking all this about breath, but now, I totally understand it and realize how important it is.” I’m so proud of her for persevering and for sitting with her doubt and skepticism until she knew for herself.

My student told me that she gave up a relationship because she knew it was time to let it go. She said she got the strength to realize this from our classes. I’m so proud of her, and have such respect for her strength and courage.

My student wanted to get pregnant. I asked her to feel for how she could be more receptive in her life. I related, being a “woman in control,” a highly capable, hyper-independent “modern woman,” more by default than by choice. She started slowing down and making more time for her. She sent me a photo of her beautiful baby boy hours after he was born. I never saw her in class again. I suspect she’s found a new kind of satisfaction and peace, a yoga of her own, with her growing family. I’m so happy for her realizing her dream.

My boyfriend had hyper-lordosis. His lower back hurt a lot, his belly protruded, his posture suffered. He’s been practicing yoga regularly for a couple of years now and his spine looks completely different. His swayback is gone. He’s no longer in so much pain. He’s in love with yoga now, and I get to share my love of yoga with him. I am so grateful for this gift. I’m so proud of him, seeing him become ever more sensitive and aware and am in awe of his language of embodiment and spirituality. And I love having him in class.

I am so happy for my students and proud of them. Teaching yoga is such a gift. I hope to remember all the amazing moments that my students share with me, their breakthroughs and victories and realizations. I have let so many pass without marking them somehow. These are a few of the big ones that I remember, that I committed to heart, but everyday, in every class, their shining eyes after savasana, their easy smiles on the way out the door, and the trust I feel from them, our growing mutual respect and honor for one another, I receive as a gift, an honor, a treasure.

The word “namaste” resonates so much for me when I bow to my students after class.

My soul honors your soul.

I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides.

I honor the light, love, truth, beauty, and peace within you

Because it is also within me.

In sharing these things, we are united, we are the same, we are one.

Namaste.