A great big celebration

Last night was a great big celebration.

I completed a 200 hour Yoga Alliance Certification.

It has been a 20 year journey of thousands of hours of teaching and studying and practicing.

And never really being recognized with a piece of paper of completion.

I know. I know. It seems unimportant. And in many ways it is. Because a paper of completion doesn’t equal the value a teacher brings.

But when you aren’t able to teach teachers or teach at conferences (amongst other things) because you aren’t technically certified by the people who are controlling it, it f@#$-ing matters.

When those that don’t know you and have never experienced your teaching ask you for your certification and you have to say, technically I don’t have one because Yoga Alliance didn’t exist when I began my studies. And so my hours come from all over the place, with many teachers, it f@#$-ing matters.

I cried last night because I felt seen for my work.

I cried last night because the yoga path has been hard and challenging and also incredibly beautiful and I felt honored in that.

I cried last night because not only did I earn my 200 hour certification but I was recognized for my 15+ years of teaching at Downtown Yoga.

I cried last night because I am so f@#$-ing happy.

(Special thank you to Bhavya and Veena for dressing me in a Saree and to Kate and Jim for celebrating me and to the entire 2019 class for being amazing humans.)