Seeking Knowledge in the Cave of Life

I just finished reading Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave". Plato writes about people living in a cave and the view of the world they have. He ventures to say that only when someone comes out of the cave, does that person see the truth in life. Truth may be a word that doesn't signify right or wrong. But, it does emphasize the idea that when one explores his/her world from a different view point does that person see things differently. It can also be said that the person gains some knowledge that others who remain in the cave never acquire. I found the reading very enlightening and thought about how my life was similar to the story. I consider myself an observer of life when it comes to my job as a yoga and spinning(indoor cycling) teacher and I continue to seek out knowledge to make my craft even better. Plato's Cave can be compared to seeking more knowledge to better oneself.

Being a yoga teacher has been a journey of my spirit and soul. I began teaching as a way to get my body relaxed and flexible about 15 years ago. At that time, all I knew about yoga was that it was something that could help you achieve a greater level of physical being. After my first class, I was so invigorated that I felt I had to learn more about this thing called yoga. I purchased a yoga book and started to read about the various poses. The biggest challenge was pronouncing the poses in Sanskrit. To make my yoga knowledge increase, I began to seek out teachers I felt who were leaders in the yoga world. What struck me most was that they were all so different. How could this be? If yoga was suppose to help you find inner peace, how could all these teachers be completely different. At that moment, I realized that there were different yoga styles, teachers, and approaches. Every time I would learn something I felt empowered. I felt as if something was leading me to more knowledge. I decided I needed to find a teacher training program. It's important to point out here that I'm a firm believer in asking the universe for help. It came to my knowledge that one of the gyms I worked for was offering a teacher training program and I was going to be offered a scholarship to do it! I was very excited to embark on this new journey. With open eyes and an eagerness to improve, I dove right into a 6 month teacher training program. Little did I know how much work it would be. But, I learned so much from the classes that I was so eager to share my knowledge. Every class I would take notes and take 1 thing back to the classes that I was teaching. From a new cue to a new pose, I was driven to learn and apply my knowledge to my classes. I finished the program and came away a different teacher, person and student. I found that it was my craving for more knowledge that drove me to learn more that I knew. I believe that when we seek out knowledge, it is there when we need it. By going through this program, I saw my teaching with new eyes.

My spinning(indoor cycling) career began like most instructors do. The gym I worked at was offering a certification for their instructors. At that time, spinning was a brand new exercise in the fitness industry. There weren't a lot of gyms offering this program and the gym I worked at was eager to jump on this new venture. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Here was a stationary bike that was used to help people exercise and simulate an outdoor bicycle ride. I thought this was a crazy idea. But, it made sense and I was willing to try it out. When I got on the bike I was apprehensive because it was uncomfortable, awkward and there were rules. As the wheel of the bike turned, I quickly realized the excitement of what this could do to people's lives. Here was a piece of equipment that offered cardiovascular benefits that nothing before it could. Plus, I could motivate people with music and a program that people could follow. I began teaching for my gym and my classes began to sell out. They had to start a sign up sheet and a waiting list. Sometimes there were fights over bikes. Once, I had to give up my bike for someone because we ran out of bikes. At that time, I craved even more knowledge. I wanted to know why some people had an easier time standing on the bike than others. Also, how does the heart rate get affected during longer rides. These questions and more filled my head. I decided to make my classes the best in the city and started to research other certifications. I wanted to learn everything I could about spinning. Little did I know that introduction class would lead me to 5 more certifications and I now work for one of the top fitness companies teaching their indoor cycling program across the United States. Again, I think that my drive to discover more knowledge has made me a better instructor and has allowed me to acquire skills that others may not have.