PYTT Alumni Feature: YOGA IS HEALING

I’m a busy, stay-at-home mom of four beautiful children ages 7-17.  I just graduated from the 200hr Prana Yoga Teacher Training taught by Gerhard Gessner and an amazing group of teachers in November 2016. The training was held at the Chula Vista Yoga Center, close to where me, my husband of 19 years and our kids live.   I have been practicing yoga for about fours years.  In the last three years I lost three loved ones.   I lost my father suddenly in March of this year and Yoga has helped me to Let It Hurt, Let it Heal and Finally To Let It Go.   For me, Yoga means healing.

One of my favorite quotes that really speaks to me is by B.K.S. Iyengar:

” Yoga allows you to rediscover a sense iof wholeness in your life, where you do not feel like your constantly trying to fit broken pieces together.”

Yoga  has been such an important part of my healing process and has added peace to my everyday life.  Yoga also helps me balance my life. I decided to take the teacher training because Yoga has brought me peace in a time where I needed it most.  It help me through my healing process and I felt I was ready to share it with others who might be in a similar situation.  Like with my Yoga practice, my experience with the teacher training was deeply healing one.  It empowered me and gave me strength to move forward in life.  Some of my favorite parts were the holistic approach with Shauna Mackay and an entire weekend studying the Yoga Sutras with Robert Birnberg, a guest teacher from L.A., who studied in India with one of the Yoga gurus, TKV Desikachar.  My plan is to teach classes so I can hopefully help others through their healing process with the help of Yoga. I’m so grateful for this amazing opportunity that has been truly life-changing for me.. I feel blessed to been able to learn from Gerhard and I’m especially grateful for his kindness and depth of teachings that I aspire to pass on to my students.

~ Alina Sanchez, RYT 200, PYTT Graduate November 2016