From a very young age, I’ve always held a strong, spiritual yearning of sorts. I expressed myself through both creative and performing arts, but something always felt like it was missing.

Through my teenage years, I explored religion and particularly paganism due to its connection to the natural world and the elements. Little did I know, soon afterward, I would be in entrenched in formal studies of Ayurveda.

Yoga, Dance, and an Unexpected Transition

I began a steady and dedicated yoga practice around age 21, while I was working abroad as a professional dancer. This included both asana and pranayama from the very beginning. The techniques supported the physical imbalances I had from the forceful and grueling years of dance, alongside great improvements in my lifelong asthma.

Significant physical injury, and an accident, forced me into retirement. The idea of being a yoga teacher had never crossed my mind. In fact, I didn’t even know anyone who taught yoga at the time. It was a challenging transitional period in life. One that no doubt was karmically driven.

By some divine intervention, no doubt, I happen to find out about yoga teacher training, and before I had even completed my certification, I walked into a yoga studio that I’ve never been to before, and was offered a teaching position immediately after class.

From there, doors flung open, so to speak. Teaching opportunities sought me out. There was no craving or yearning to be a yoga teacher. It was as though the path chose me. Again, it felt like there was more depth to be revealed.

Ayurveda, India, and Odissi

That’s when I committed to a 2.5 year Ayurveda training, with the intent of deepening my path of living yoga—and that of my students. They were huge reality checks along the way, witnessing significant abuse and favoritism behind the scenes in the studio environment. Simultaneously, I had wonderful peers and mentors, whilst remaining steeped in studies.

By this time, I had already ventured to India. Being immersed in the culture in heritage only fed my hankering for studies in the rich Indic traditions. There was a moment where unprocessed emotions washed over me, and it became apparent that I’d never process the reality of retiring from a professional dance career as early as I had. And as cosmos always provides according to dharma, Odissi dance was revealed to me in 2013.

I was enrolled, and went to India to pursue studies in this transformative classical art form.

Teacher Training and The Ocean of Yoga

All of these threads have informed the work I do today. This includes facilitating, a 300 hour teacher training for existing teachers who yearn for greater depth, direction, and clarity on their path. For those who seek out the full spectrum of yoga.

In addition, as my path has matured, I had a major life transition that meant I was unable to teach yoga regularly, and I poured my knowledge into writing my forthcoming book, entitled ‘The Ocean of Yoga’.

This book is releasing on March 31 with Shambhala publications, and it is a rich resource that I wish existed many moons ago when I first committed to a dedicated practice.

The book, and the training program, exist to serve the global yoga community, to uplift yoga among the sea of surface level practices.

Trusting the Path

From a professional perspective, working in the field of yoga, and it’s sister sciences, really found me. I strongly believe that if we are destined to share yoga, for the most part, the opportunities will reveal themselves. We must trust in our sva-dharma, are unique and inherent role personally and within our community at large.

Naturally, the more classes I taught, and the more students I developed trusting relationships with, the easier it was to host successful retreats, and workshops.

But if I’m honest, there was not the same kind of saturation of yoga teachers, as there is today. Therefore, things do continue to change in terms of work opportunities and serving the com community, whilst being respectfully remuneration for our knowledge, experience, and guidance. Especially now that so much is online.

In person relationships make a profound difference in being successful as a yoga teacher. Or if online, cultivating trust and reflecting integrity is imperative.

One thing I have learned, and witnessed in many yoga teachers, that I have mentored, is that it is so easy for yoga teachers to stretch themselves until they are burnt out.

That could be teaching too many classes, not sustaining a practice that is pranically effective, the stress about class numbers or social media numbers, and comparison can be to our detriment.

As the same goes, you can’t please everyone, and you can’t be everything to everyone all the time. I moved away from the mainstream, physically oriented yoga scene a long time ago. It fell out of alignment with my own values, personal practice and studies, and the greater yogic vision.

Primarily, I use Instagram and email communications for developing and connecting with community.

Embracing Every Season

If there’s anything I’ve learned over two decades, it is this: we will have many seasons across the course of our lives, we will continue to evolve, and so will our students and community.

With these seasons will come changing momentum in our work, and there is no hurry to attain some perceived level of success. The ocean of yoga is wide and deep. We will never know it all in even many lifetimes.

But if we can embrace the seasons of life, and notable transitions, and in turn allow our path to mature, we will find enrichment at every stage.

It can help to imagine yourself, steep in yoga, and even teaching or sharing yoga within your community, in the latter-most stages of your life. Imagine how you will have aged, wrinkles and all. See that wisdom envied, and you will realize there is no hurry on this path.

Business Takeaways

  • Lesson 1: Build trust before expanding your offers Amy explains that successful retreats and workshops became easier as she taught more classes and developed trusting relationships with students. Yoga founders can use regular teaching and genuine community relationships as the foundation for larger offerings.
  • Lesson 2: Protect yourself from teaching burnout Teaching too many classes, worrying about attendance, tracking social media numbers, and comparing yourself with others can become detrimental. A sustainable yoga business should leave enough energy for the founder’s own effective practice and long-term well-being.
  • Lesson 3: Let integrity guide online growth Amy believes in-person relationships make a profound difference, but trust can also be cultivated online by communicating with integrity. Her primary channels are Instagram and email, which she uses to develop and connect with her community.
  • Lesson 4: Do not try to serve everyone Amy moved away from the mainstream, physically oriented yoga scene when it no longer aligned with her values, studies, and personal practice. Founders can build more meaningful work by choosing an approach that reflects their deeper vision rather than trying to please everyone.
  • Lesson 5: Allow your work to change with life Amy’s journey moved through dance, teaching, retreats, Ayurveda, teacher training, mentoring, and writing. She emphasizes that founders, students, communities, and business momentum all experience different seasons, so there is no need to rush toward a fixed idea of success.