Student Spotlight: Macy Schwert
I started coming to Yen exactly a year ago. A friend and I spontaneously decided to try out the intro offer. The first class I ever took was Warm Yin with Temple, one of my favorites. I ended up taking 17 classes with my unlimited first month and ever since I’ve been hooked on yoga, and Yen. Soon after my intro month was up I decided to purchase a yearly membership. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. I have always been active. I was always involved in high school sports, running, and I have had several gym memberships. Though, nothing compares to what my yoga practice brings me.
My favorite classes are Warm Yin, Vinyasa Flow, Hot Yoga, Yin/Yang Yoga, Slow Vin/Yin… I mean there isn’t a yoga class that I don’t love! There are different benefits to each class and I gain something in all of them. There are so many lessons to be learned from practicing yoga. The awareness practices that I gain on my mat carry over into my daily life, my thought patterns, and my habits. On my mat I am fully present and grounded in the space I am in, and fully aware of my body and my breathing. I intentionally send awareness, and more importantly gratitude, into all parts of myself, every muscle, bone, ligament, and cell. My focus is completely internal and I find time to really listen to my body, and to be with whatever comes up. I find complete acceptance for myself, and then complete contentment within the moment. Even if my mind is wandering or my body feels tighter or more stiff than the day before, I find acceptance, and gratitude. I try not to attach to any thoughts or feelings, I simply sit with them and breathe, to create space, to let go of what no longer serves me. I breathe to create space in my mind and my body, inevitably creating space in my external world for what I desire. I have gained so much balance from my practice, a balance between constructive rest and intentional, muscular movement. A balance between holding a very intense stretch while also feeling a sense of softening into the intensity. A balance between strength and softness, masculine and feminine, yin and yang, solar and lunar, all parts of myself and the world. A balance between my sometimes very busy life and finding calm and quiet. I try not to push myself to discomfort or rush through a pose to try and make my body look a certain way, instead I move with strength and balanced stability, to really feel strong and powerful. Yoga is a very subjective, personal, evolving practice, and it is different for everyone. For me it is a moving meditation, a union of my physical body and breath awareness. It is a practice of manifestation and also a practice of release. It is a practice of complete gratitude and acceptance. It is an expression of self, moving gracefully and intentionally. It is a practice to connect with all things, all layers of myself, the earth, planetary energies, and others. I don’t go to yoga with the intent to “achieve” anything, yet I gain and improve a whole lot in a lot of different ways. I have always been passionate about health, and have been increasingly involved with my spirituality, and my yoga practice has been the icing on the cake, a union of the two.
My biggest accomplishment since becoming a member at Yen, has definitely been being hired in as a Front Desk team member! I absolutely love working here, being around people with a common interest and goal of health and wellness. I have loved getting to know all of my coworkers and the clients better, and am just very thankful to be here.
If I were to pass along words of encouragement to those who haven’t been to Yen or to those who have never tried yoga, it would definitely be that yoga is for everyone, and anyone. The time is now. Letting go of excuses to why I might not be able to fit a regular practice into my schedule or to why I might not be able to include a membership into my budget was the best thing I’ve done for myself in a long time. When you find time to fully dedicate to yourself, and to fully receive healing, you are more able to be there for others in your life and to fulfill your purpose in the world.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman