Ara Cusack, ERYT 200
The journey is just as important as the end result. Our teacher training is very experiential. We learn the physical poses and anatomy which are essential to being a good teacher. We explore the variety of teachers and classes that are available at Semperviva and participate in workshops led by world renowned teachers who come to Semperviva during training. We learn yogic philosophy but most importantly, we test it out in our lives, figuring out what works for us, ultimately making us more conscious and aware individuals. Throughout the journey, we develop a community within the YTT group, within Semperviva and with the local community. It’s a gift to be able to be a part of the teacher training program!
Thank you Rodney Yee and Patricia Walden for AM/PM Yoga. I first started with this video, popping it into the VCR late at night after I got home from work. It took me to another place and I felt so calm and spacious. Although it felt excellent, I thought it was just another regime I had to add onto all the other fitness activities I was involved in and I wondered, “How am I going to take this on as well?” One day, I decided to focus on the one physical activity that I really loved, yoga, and see if I could maintain my physical fitness. I could always go back. I was amazed first at how physically fit and healthy by body felt and secondly, how yoga encompasses much more than the physical body.
Through yoga, I have realized that the key to life is finding integrity. Integrity is about being upright, honest and sincere, but is also about being complete; finding the balance, the yin/yang, at home, work, alone, with others, within every moment. The answers to life’s challenges, on and off the mat, are within me. All I have to do is listen. Yoga is the tool I use to listen and find that balance, professionally and personally, physically and emotionally.
I bring this philosophy into all of my classes, blending flowing and held poses, stillness and movement. I encourage all students to find their own integrity, their yoga, and incorporate it into their daily life.
Inspiring Teachers
Gurmukh, Mark Whitwell, Max Strom, all teachers who teach from their heart.
Fav Books
- The Eight Human Talents by Gurmukh
- Yoga of Heart by Mark Whitwell
- Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual by David Swenson
- Kundalini Yoga: The Flow of Eternal Power by Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa
- National Geographic (every month)
Places I Love
Vancouver, Trout Lake and the Farmers Market, Spanish Banks when the tide is out, Deep Cove, Portland, New York City, Toronto and Montreal in the fall, Greece in the summer, any trip long or short that puts life into perspective.
Passions
Yoga, friends and family, my pooch Dingo, walks, exploring local and far away lands, swimming in a lake or the sea, fresh air, cozy gatherings, bonfires with smores, clear starry nights, public transportation.
Certification
RYT200, Prenatal, Kundalini