Stacy McGinnis

I have always been a seeker. As early as childhood, I can recall looking outside myself for fulfillment: the next big job, relationship, experience, whatever... "When I finally achieve (fill in the blank), THEN I'll be happy. Then I will be complete." Whatever!!
And so it was with yoga.
When I wandered into my very first yoga class years ago, I was extremely self-conscious; so much so that I deliberately chose the grand opening of a brand new studio to make my first appearance on the mat. See, all my life I have been overly concerned with what others think of me. My greatest fear is not being accepted. And so I seized the opportunity for a level playing field where everyone would be new. I wanted so desperately to be "good" at yoga. I wanted to excell. I didn't want to make a fool of myself in front of the cool kids.

Yoga is an exercise in turning inward, of acknowledging and respecting that often quiet inner voice that speaks only the truth. At first, the voice whispers, barely audible. It repeats itself over and over again, like a broken record begging to be heard. As the seasons passed and my practice evolved, the voice grew louder and impossible to ignore. My body was getting stronger, that's for sure, but the most profound changes took place outside my physical self. Old habits and thought patterns began to fall away, and the elements of my life that were no longer serving me became so glaringly obvious that I had no choice but to wake up and pay attention. Once again, I found myself seeking. Except this time, I sought the truth.

They say the truth shall set you free. What nobody has ever said is that freedom comes easy. The path I have traveled since I first set foot on my yoga mat has no doubt been a rocky one. There has been a certain amount of pain and sacrifice involved in this journey to become my highest self. Transformation is at once exhilerating and utterly exhausting. It is a process that has no end. Once you see the truth about yourself, it is impossible to unsee it. I live my truth by sharing it. I teach yoga because it is the fullest expression of my most authentic self, and the greatest gift I have to give.