Pursuits thirty six: Learning From the Pursuit of Another ~ Ainsley Ayres

Hello bloggers!

     My name is Ainsley Ayres, and I am a senior psychology major at the University of Tennessee.  I am from Memphis, TN but am loving living in Knoxville for the time being!

     I have been good friends with Price since I can remember, and was honored that she would ask me to be her first guest blogger! This is my first attempt at a blog, so here we go…

     Since the first time I set foot in a yoga studio my junior year of high school, I knew there was much more behind these asanas (poses) than the physical aspect of such an ancient practice.  I couldn’t put my finger on it, but moving using my breath to move my body these particular ways made me feel like a light had been turned on inside of which I was previously unaware.  My first yoga class was at Bikram Yoga Memphis at the suggestion of my former lacrosse assistant coach, Elizabeth Cooper.  (Wherever you are, Coach Coop, thank you!!!)  Since that first class, I gradually began to build my practice, coming back to yoga whenever I started to feel unbalanced in my life- whether that be physically, spiritually, mentally or emotionally.  Something inside me yearned for the “yoke” of mind, body and spirit I found with each yoga class.  Yoga has been the anchor in my life, either consciously or subconsciously, since that very first class.  Yoga has gotten me through life threatening health conditions, losing loved ones, life changes and college (so far!).  My unending love for yoga motivated me to pursue training to become a yoga instructor so that others might experience the same endless benefits of yoga as me.

http://www.glowingbody.net/

     Last summer, I graduated from the Glowing Body’s (check them out! www.glowingbody.net) inaugural teacher training program.  Becoming certified deepened my understanding and knowledge for yoga, and I will always be learning more.  That’s the fun part! Through yoga, I have met the most wonderful people, learned so much more about myself, and cultivated a sense of unwavering peace, compassion and joy for myself, others and the world around me. Yoga means to “yoke”, and taking this gift for humanity off my mat and into the world I constantly yoke all of life into one unending, mysterious and FABULOUS journey.  OM!

            P.S- Here is my shameless plug… I teach yoga at the Glowing Body on Mondays 11:45-1:15 and Wednesdays 11:45-1:15 and 7:45-9:15, I would LOVE to see you there!