TAI JIMENEZ (she/her)
“If you go forward you die. If you go backward you die. So go forward and die.” –African Proverb
I began to fully embrace yoga when I was in the process of retiring from my career of over twenty years as a professional dancer. I think of that time in my life as “the void” because it was filled with grief and confusion. I didn’t know who I was or where I was headed and felt utterly alone.
As my interest in yoga grew, I regretted not having had yoga as part of my dance training. I would have possibly avoided injury because of the physical strength that comes from asana practice and more importantly, I might have navigated my internal landscape with grace, instead of falling prey to the emotional snare of competition. As I began to dedicate myself to a new practice, I found that I needed to learn how to let go of who I thought I was and that was a struggle.
During my early yoga practice, I still saw myself through the lens of dance. I worked hard. I pushed past my limitations without mercy. I wanted more. I wanted to be the best. I wanted to feel special. I missed the applause. One day, I bumped into an acquaintance in yoga class. She said, “Weren’t you a ballerina? Isn’t that cheating?” But sadly, I knew that no amount of flexibility could compensate for the heroic task of loving oneself.
Slowly, my awareness began to shift. I began to see life through the lens of yoga, through the lens of sacredness. It was always there. Yoga helped me see more of what is there and less of what is not. It was medicine for mind, body and spirit. It has made me less afraid and more trusting in the cycles of death and rebirth.
Thank you to my teachers, Glen Cunningham, Terry Connell, Daniel Max, Alana Brennan, Raquel Marra, and Magi Pierce. And thank you to my 200-hour JPCY Yoga Teacher Training cohort of 2019 for laughing with me.
What You Can Expect From My Classes
There are many kinds of yoga. I recognize the body as a portal and guide fellow pilots on a ride to inner space. In technical terms, it starts off nice and slow, like Tina Turner singing “Proud Mary.” We will breathe and center our awareness, to the best of our ability. I will guide this process with the use of my voice, as we gently allow the body to open and remember its wisdom. And then you are eased into a transition that incorporates a range of movement, beginning to build heat. All of a sudden, you’ll realize that you are in it, you are doing the thing, you are in a new place inside yourself and it feels good. Then we’ll have a sweet and refreshing cool down and when you leave, you’ll feel like a snake that has shed its skin. Ashe. Aho. Namaste. Peace be with you. Everyone welcome.