Page 13 - The Wayne Dispatch

How yoga changed my life for the better

By Courtney Conover their own yoga mats and are pretty
I had no idea that when I popped adept at certain yoga poses. But be-
a VHS recording of Rodney Yee's fore I encouraged them to move on
Yoga for Energy into my VCR back in the mat, I made a point to emphasize
1998 that, over the course of several the importance of harnessing the
years, the gift of yoga would far ex- power of their breath first, so that
ceed my wildest expectations and when they are nervous, scared, or
transform my life. uncertain during real-life situations,
Some background on me: I’m a their breath can help restore a sense
local gal. I was raised in Westland, at- of calm.
tended Wayne-Westland Community That, too, is yoga.
Schools, and graduated from John And I’d be remiss if I didn’t in-
Glenn High School in 1995. After clude my husband in this scenario.
earning a bachelor of arts degree in Those who know my husband also
Communications from the Univer- know that he’s hard to miss because
sity of Michigan in Ann Arbor, my ca- he’s 6’7” and 295 pounds. He’s also
reer took me from coast to a former NFL offensive lineman who
coast—literally: I was a television re- played six seasons for the Detroit
porter for a CBS affiliate in South Lions and spent his entire career
Carolina and, as a narrator and blocking for Hall of Fame running
model for both Honda and Jaguar, back Barry Sanders.
I’ve worked countless auto shows, in- And Scott’s got the aches and
cluding San Jose, Detroit, Boston, Courtney Conover recently started teaching at Hype Athletics here in Wayne teaching pains to prove it: I always tell people
and numerous cities in between. I that you don’t collide with 300-
eventually found my way back yoga on Mondays at 10 a.m. and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. pound men for a living and come out
home—even proudly serving the res- breath is the key. unscathed. Every morning, Scott
idents of Westland as Deputy Mayor Contrary to what we may have gets out of bed with his three side-
from 2007 until 2009. come to believe, yoga isn’t about kicks, Snap, Crackle, and Pop!
And through all the aforemen- twisting like a pretzel, or looking Thankfully, Scott’s simple yoga
tioned fast-paced professions, here’s good in our workout pants – or our practice, which is comprised of the
what had remained a constant: bathing suit, for that matter. The pur- most basic yoga postures, has
Though generally optimistic, I was a pose of yoga is to quiet our mind and helped him maintain range of mo-
worrier and control freak by nature. ultimately find peace and awareness tion within the areas of his body that
That’s just who I was. As a child, I re- within ourselves. have sustained substantial injury.
member my mother pulling back the Let me put it another way: Failing We all have our own bag of
covers when waking me up in the to honor—meaning, focus on—our "stuff"—ailments, physical chal-
morning and jokingly inquiring breath during yoga is like eating lenges, and even insecurities—and
whether she would find me or a huge pasta with our fingers. Sure, we can while yoga can't erase these hurdles,
wart in my place. do it. But wouldn’t the entire experi- it can help us cope better. Yoga gives
To this day, I credit my yoga prac- ence be more pleasant with utensils? us the ability to surrender.
tice with giving me the tools neces- I finally realized this in my tenth My approach to yoga instruction
sary to handle all the stress I year of practicing yoga—better late is simple: Just show up on your mat,
endured back then. Although I’d be than never, right?—and I decided I breathe, and accept your body for
dog tired at the end of the day, I’d un- wanted to teach yoga to help guide what it can do today. That’s it.
roll my yoga mat in my tiny apart- others on their own yoga journey. So, I invite you to join me: I’m excited
ment—or whatever hotel I was in 2011 I earned my RYT-200 teach- to have recently joined the staff of
staying at during an auto show—and ing certification from Sattva Yoga Hype Athletics here in Wayne where
breathe, stretch, and move for as lit- Center, a Yoga Alliance registered I’m teaching yoga on Mondays at 10
tle as 10 minutes, or as long as an school, in Dearborn, Michigan. And a.m. and Fridays at 9:30 a.m.
hour. It wasn’t always much…but it I am humbled and grateful to have Whether you’re a senior who hopes
was something. And it helped. Im- since taught in a variety of locales in- to attain a better sense of balance, a
mensely. cluding Taylor Yoga in Taylor, De- banged up former football player, or
You see, far too often, yoga is troit’s Ford Field, Marriott Hotel in a person who can barely touch his or
characterized as solely a physical Romulus, Wayne Memorial High her toes, yoga is for everyone—liter-
practice, something reserved for bod- School, and Detroit Lions Academy ally, every body—and I would love to
ies that are young, thin, and bendy, in Detroit, just to name a few. see you in class.
and I’m here to tell you that that is And here’s the most important My ultimate goal is to help you
not the full picture. Our breath is far place I’ve taught: home. unlock your full potential while si-
more important than our flexibility. Five months after becoming certi- multaneously encouraging you to
The very definition of the Sanskrit fied to teach yoga, my husband, proceed at your own pace.
word yoga is to unite (or “yoke”) the Scott, and I welcomed our firstborn, years later, I gave birth to our daugh- Come breathe and move with me.
mind and body in harmony. And our our son Scotty, and then exactly two ter, Kennedy. Yes, both kids own See you on the mat.
The Wayne Dispatch · October 2019 · 13