Those of you that know me will be aware that I haven't always taught yoga. I have another life, I am a Psychology teacher in a school. I have been a Psychology lecturer and teacher for over 16 years. Last year I made the decision that I needed to leave a profession that was the only career I had known and had once loved.
It wasn't an easy decision to make, in fact, it was very, very difficult. I had so much investment in helping these young people reach their potential in life. Then I looked again, the pressure that the education system puts onto these fresh young minds is immense. It gives them no coping mechanisms and expects them to be resilient in the midst of massive amounts of pressure from inflated 'targets', which they are expected to achieve. I could see before my eyes, quite literally, students being broken; broken by the system of results focused culture.
I realized that I was part of the problem, by staying in teaching I was complicit with this system. The result of which, was the destruction of self-belief, self-confidence and sometimes mental health of our next generation of intelligent beings, full of promise.
I decided I needed to be part of the solution. I undertook my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training during my summer holidays. It was intensive, I got to empathize even more with my students and remembered how daunting exams and assessments feel. I got through it, but then again I am old enough to have gained coping skills through life experience. I enjoyed it greatly and met some very special people who have honestly changed my life.
It was after the Easter break that I wrote my resignation letter. I handed it in and felt guilty...guilty for abandoning my students, for leaving them without my always open door, for so many things. A few weeks have passed and now I know that they will be okay. They understand why I have to do this and I just hope that if they find themselves at a similar point in their lives, they are able to make difficult decisions and do what they believe.
So, as of September this year, I will no longer be a teacher of Psychology in a school with bells at the end of lessons ... I will be a teacher of yoga in a selection of venues with a Tibetan singing bowl chime at the end of Savasana.
I am stepping into the unknown....50% fear, 50% excitement...