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The power of yoga to transform and integrate the body, mind and spirit is truly miraculous, and I'm happy to be a living testimony to this fact. One of the central tenets of the yoga philosophy is that the answer lies within: We already have all that we need to be happy, fulfilled individuals. The practice of yoga, then, consists largely in removing the obstacles which prevent us from hearing our inner voice and finding our truth. One of first lessons of yoga, however, is that while you are ultimately in charge of your own development, you can't do it all on your own; to think otherwise would be to indulge in the type of ego-attachment that yoga seeks to overcome.
More specifically, my experience has taught me that I could have never have undergone such dramatic personal growth through my yoga practice if it were not for my exposure to the dedicated, knowledgeable, and inspiring instructors from whom I continue to learn much more than I could from any other source. At the very least, quality instruction can help you tap your strengths and identify where you have room for growth, teaching lessons that are best learned from someone who has encountered the same struggles that you may now face in your practice.
Thus, I have chosen to devote the space that I have been given in these pages to a series of instructor profiles. My focus, at least for now, will be upon some of the fresh new faces on the yoga scene who, through their exemplary love for and devotion to the practice, are making great contributions to the excellence and diversity of the yoga experience in the Charlotte region. My first profile will feature Kelly Schwartz of the Sanctuary Wellness Center and Yogatopia.
Kelly had her first experiences with yoga over 5 years ago, but it wasn't until she began taking classes with Litsa Kapantais (now owner of Yogatopia) that she fell in love with yoga. "I loved her immediately, her passion for yoga was so inspiring," says Kelly. "Through her I gained strength, lots of strength and patience….I learned to enjoy the process, to allow my practice to unfold instead of being so goal and result oriented." Seeking to deepen her practice, she began to take classes at Yoga for Life with Mary Lou Buck, who has also influenced Kelly profoundly. Kelly states, "She is so loving and kind. I always left her classes with such a sense of peace. I began to learn to listen to my inner voice and it was with her that I decided to become a yoga teacher."
Before long, Kelly had left a stable job in a brokerage firm to pursue her calling to be part of the healing arts. While continuing her practice with Litsa and Mary Lou, she enrolled in the Ashville Yoga Center teacher training program. "I was quite nervous because I didn't have a job," continues Kelly, "but something kept telling me that this is what I needed to do. I began teaching yoga very early in my training, and opportunities literally opened up for me every day. Within a few months I was teaching full time."
Kelly's classes are characterized by slow, mindful, flowing movements which both relax and invigorate. As a student of Kelly's, be prepared for a practice which is strong, challenging and energetic, yet guided with compassion and grace. Those who attend her classes are encouraged to work at their own level and to connect with others sharing the yoga experience. "In my classes," says Kelly, "I try to build a sense of community, to get to know everyone…I love the energy of my classes; the friendships that are made. It is beautiful."
When asked about what she has gained through her practice, Kelly is enthusiastic, and emphasizes self-acceptance. "Yoga has taught me to live…I've learned love, compassion and forgiveness for myself, to allow myself to make mistakes. To laugh at myself. To allow myself to feel whatever it is that I'm feeling without justification and to move through it and not around it."
For the beginning student, she recommends non-attachment. "We sometimes create impossible standards for anyone as well as ourselves to live up to. My advice for a beginner is to go with an open mind and an open heart. Yoga is self-healing…. It is learning to love and appreciate what is right now in this moment regardless, to be in control rather than handing it to someone else."
Kelly continues her training with Litsa Kapantais and with monthly visits to Mary Kay West in Ashville, studying the Anusara method. "I'm always learning." says Kelly. "I take classes everywhere. I love workshops…. I learn from my students, most of all." Kelly is also studying massage therapy, and, as she believes strongly in the nurturing and healing power of touch, enjoys integrating massage in her classes. She recommends that we extend "kindness to everyone. A smile a touch, a helping hand can make all of the difference in the world."
Kelly, a native Charlottean, lives in the Wesely Heights neighborhood in Charlotte, with her husband Barry Schwartz. For Kelly's class schedule, you can visit yoga-topia.net or thesanctuaryyogacenter.com.
Namaste'