Pursing a graduate degree: my process

 a celebration, an offeringMy Master of Arts degree?

The hardest question to answer about my Master’s Degree is, “So, what are you going to do with your degree?” It's as if I’m a nomad until I can answer this with precision. However, I have been utilizing my degree all along—for the past seven years as a part-time student—one semester and one class at a time. When I began in August 2008 I was already teaching yoga and I already owned my own business as a writer and digital marketer.

What turned into seven years of one class per semester in East-West Psychology turned into the best type of graduate experience I could have ever imagined. It was, in some ways, like self-led psychotherapy as I put my entire life into each one class, especially the final papers. Each semester I evaluated where I was at in life and it was always changing. I evolved at my own pace and could not imagine seven years ago being where I am now.

What I intend to do with my degree and with my professional life is to enhance it with the knowledge, credentials and confidence I've gained, which will bridge into my writing and yoga teaching. I'll go beyond private yoga lessons and posting my written version of passions on the internet as I've become accustomed.

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how i invite personal power with my yoga practice

source: Facebook evokeandimagine

humbled

I am humbled by many of life's experiences. This extends into my yoga practice, despite the fact that I'm a yoga teacher. I always remain a yoga student. As a teacher, it's my mission to always learn from my teachers and students. And there are situations that seem to occur in my life, as if concocted just for me to see and experience.

Continually learning is a sign of confidence, I believe. I never know it all. This is my yoga philosophy.

always a student

Even with myself, I am always a student of my own mind, continually needing to clear

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Headstands and how they benefit you

Five-minute headstands

I used to do 5-minute headstands every day. They influence pure calm and also reverse the aging process, as the blood flow switches directions. Headstands require arm strength and balance.

Protect your neck

Staying up in a headstand at all costs is not a good idea though—the neck needs to be protected with safe technique.

I, indeed, learned the hard way. One morning I woke feeling hospital-bound; the day before I did a 7-minute headstand, and felt my shoulders sinking in the last 2 minutes but did not listen to my body. Sadly, I allowed my ego to guide me instead.

It was through the several weeks to follow that I remembered the articulate words of my austere—and very experienced—teacher. I remembered all of her demonstrations before headstands to properly place the hands, lift—pull-down, although inverted—the shoulders, setting up before inverting (and keeping that structure no matter what). I remember all of the partner exercises surrounding this. I also remember rolling my eyes, believing that I didn't need any of that "beginner instruction."

I was wrong. I did. 

Act with a "beginner's mind"

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