Lisa Alban

It was March 2000, I was training for my first marathon and taking yoga 3 days a week in order to prevent injury and condition my mind. One day my teacher Clare Venet called me over after class and said, "a health club in Cotati needs a yoga sub for the next 6 weeks and I think you should give them a call." Me. . .teach yoga? No way, I thought, but I was intrigued so I gave them a call. They, of course, said, "you have no experience, and no training, so unless we can't find anyone else, I'm sorry, no." A few days pass and I get a phone call, "okay, we can't find anyone else, why don't you come teach a trial class and we'll consider hiring you for a 6 week sub position." I was incredibly nervous, but in I went. After the first 5 minutes of anxiety and butterflies I took a deep breath and realized that for the first time that I could remember I felt at home in my body. I stood on my 2 feet, feeling the earth beneath me, feeling my clothes against my skin, hearing my voice reverberate around the room, seeing my words penetrate people's bodies and was able to witness them transform. In that moment I knew I was right where I was supposed to be, doing exactly what I was meant to do. They hired me for those 6 weeks, and now, 6 years later, I'm still teaching the same class. . .and I still have some of the same students!

When I first began teaching I turned to books with a ravenous appetite, searching for knowledge about yoga. I had a background in anatomy and kineseology, had been a massage therapist and a personal trainer, and was spiritually curious; little did I know that I had been tilling my soil preparing to teach yoga. My teacher Clare was Iyenger trained but for some reason I wasn't totally turned on by Iyenger Yoga. Then, miraculously, Baron Baptiste showed up in my life in the form of a gift of a video by my Mom, and once again I felt like I had arrived home. His voice, his words, his style was what I'd been looking for all my life!

Level 1 in Mexico 2001 was life changing! Not only did I sweat more than I ever had in my life, I cried more too. I grieved over the hateful way I had been treating my body, I grieved over the pain I was too stubborn to realize I was in, I also cried tears of joy that I had found something that healed my body and fed my soul. Upon returning from Level 1 my class size doubled in weeks. Another validation that I was right where I was supposed to be!

I attended Level 2 in Montana in 2003 and again stepped up to my edge and discovered how much strength, endurance, and passion I possesed. Every day I feel grateful for yoga and Baron Baptiste in my life. Every day I realize just how much yoga has transformed me and continues to do so. The transformation has taken place from the inside out as well as from the outside in. My intention as a yoga teacher is awaken within my students the deep, penetrating knowing that they are strong, capable, powerful individuals with the potential to make their dreams come true. That's the gift yoga has given me.

I teach yoga in Santa Rosa, California at The 21st Century Club (Cotati, CA), Fusion Fitness, Yoga on Center and Renew (Petaluma). I continue to stay inspired by reading, attending classes and workshops (Shiva Rea, Ana Forrest, Seane Corn, Baron Baptiste, Rusty Wells), playing with my dogs, hiking, snowboarding, mountain biking in the hills, sharing my knowledge and passion with others, and I have been blessed to have been able to assist Baron at the San Francisco Yoga Journal Conference.

I encourage anyone to start their yoga journey today and attend a Baptiste bootcamp!!!

namaste,
Lisa R. Alban
lralban@aol.com

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