Ottawa Shakti Yoga

Instructor: Kim Gibson
	I discovered yoga 10 years ago. Like many people, I used it as a way to release and stretch my tight and overworked muscles, which developed over many years of training. Initially, yoga improved and supplemented my training for sports; but soon, I realized that yoga is a means of physical, mental, and spiritual transformation. I deepened my yoga practice by attending several classes weekly to learn from different teachers and experience a variety of styles. I recognized the profound life changes and benefits inspired by yoga - such as deep relaxation, patience, strength, stamina and overall well-being.
I am Yoga Alliance Certified with Yogi Vishvketu and have attended various yoga workshops on postures, pranayama (breath) and meditation to enhance my practice and to share my knowledge with others. I strive to teach classes that are challenging and invigorating yet nurturing and calming all at the same time. My Philosophy So often we are caught in a whirlwind called life, running from one thing to the next without seeing all the beauty and joy that surrounds us. If there is just one philosophy that I believe in the most, it is to slow down. Taking joy in everyday tasks, all of those little things that we rush through, to run to the next thing, telling ourselves that eventually once all of this laundry is folded, or kids are bathed, or dinner is made, we can then relax and sit down and enjoy our time. We are fooling ourselves into believing that this is truly how life has to be. How about being thankful for the food you are chopping up for dinner? Appreciating the health, energy and vitality that the food in front of you will bring. What about saying a little thank you for the many people in our lives that we sometimes take for granted? What about taking joy in the little things? The breeze or sun on your face or the sound of a bird or of children laughing. I think sometimes it takes years before people open their eyes. Some people never do; they run their whole lives on overdrive and forget to smile and smell the flowers.