I went to India for 5 days in the spring of my sophomore year and fell in love. With the culture, the food, the people, the spiritual landscape, and of course, Yoga. Upon my return to the states (New Orleans where I was attending university,) I dove right in – to yoga classes at the campus gym (free to students) and with Rodney Yee and Eric Schiffman/Ali McGraw videos.

I practiced daily in the comfort of my living room. Thirteen years later, yoga is more a part of my life than ever. Over the past decade I’ve taken two Yogafit workshops and taught free classes in my living room, $2 classes in friends’ living rooms and even charged $10 a class to a few friends who supported me in my traveling/artist/needs to make enough money to get by lifestyle.

I’ve worked as a maid, nanny, dog walker, flamenco dancer, freelance health writer, bookseller and house sitter, to name a few. I’ve lived in as many places as jobs I’ve had and the only thing that remains constant throughout the years is yoga. Now, at age 33, it’s time to focus on the thing I love the most and share it with the people I love and those I’ve yet to love. I want to become a yoga teacher because it’s the only thing I’ve ever done that really made me feel like I was sharing something truly great.

Those quiet times after a yoga class when my small group of students thanked me, I knew their gratitude was coming from the heart. Teaching yoga is an authentic way to do some good in the world. I can’t think of any better way to spend my days than working with people in a serving profession such as yoga. I believe that we can all be healthy and happy without popping a pill or turning to other unhealthy addictions.

I haven’t had many yoga teachers because I could never justify the cost of taking regular yoga classes at studios, (one part of my mission as a teacher will be to provide donation-based classes.) I have a steady Ashtanga home practice. My favorite yoga teacher would have to be Richard Freeman. I’ve never taken a live class with him but after following his primary series video for over a year and reading his books and articles online, I feel I have a firm introduction to the ashtanga system of yoga.

In teaching, I am most interested in the therapeutic aspects of yoga and would like to work with people in private and small groups to help foster spirit growth and physical/emotional healing. I hold a degree in naturopathic medicine and write articles for health magazines as well as a vegan food blog. I also speak a fair amount of French and Italian and am continuing to cultivate these languages so that I can communicate with as many people as possible. I’d like to bring all of these interests together someday to have my own health and wellness retreat somewhere in the world. It is for these reasons that I am choosing the yoga teacher training with Jackie Chiodo at the Anamaya Resort in Costa Rica.

2012 Yoga Scholarship Essay

By: Aimee Hughes

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