“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” I love these words from Buddha, and they have rung true in my life and yoga journey.

When I needed yoga to heal my back pain caused by scoliosis, I found my teacher in Mary Pat Murphy. I had been told about yoga and its healing benefits for years, but didn’t feel I had enough time for it. When I finally stepped on my mat, it was magical. My body taught me that I needed yoga, and I can’t tell you how fortunate I feel to have found such an awesome first teacher.

A few years later I needed yoga again to heal from adrenal fatigue caused by the stress of my work. My burnt out body and mind was talking to me again, telling me it needed to slow down and to heal, so I purchased an unlimited monthly yoga class-pass. Oh yeah, I desperately needed to get back to a regimen of Daily Downward Dogs, so I dusted off my yoga mat, and took a deep immersion back into my yoga practice. That is what I love about yoga and meditation, you can keep coming back, and it is always there for you.

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The day I decided to start researching potential 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training programs, I found one that fit my criteria, but alas, it started the very next day. I’m not kidding, this is a true story, and that little issue with the start date was not going to stop me, because I was ready! I picked up the phone, had a nice long conversation with the teacher, and managed to convince her to accept me into the program. The next day I showed up bright eyed and ready to start my 200-hour YTT journey.

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Big Smiles at 200-hour YTT Graduation with Katie Buettner and Joni Howard

Some days I still can’t believe I took that leap of faith from corporate American to becoming a yoga teacher, but then I pinch myself and realize how blessed I am. I get to share yoga, have a job I love and am passionate about, and I never dread Mondays. I’ll forever be a student of yoga, and believe me, the yogis who come to my classes will always teach me more than I can ever teach them.

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Teaching a Yoga Workshop in Aruba in 2015

After gaining the experience of teaching over a thousand hours of yoga classes and leading my first few yoga retreats, I decided I was ready to make the committment to learn and grow as a teacher and went in search of a 300-hour YTT program. I had been looking for nearly a year when a fellow yoga teacher friend told me that Mary Pat Murphy was offering a 300-hour program, and it started in just a few weeks. Coincidence? Absolutely not! I was ready, and when you are ready, the teacher will always appear. I got back in touch with Mary Pat Murphy, signed up, and had an incredible year and a half experience of yoga growth. I can’t recommend her 300-YTT program enough.

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My teacher Mary Pat Murphy at 300-hour YTT Graduation

Are you ready to try yoga? If the answer is yes, this teacher is ready to help guide you. My next Beginners’ Yoga class series begins October 2 at Yoga Bliss Akron, so come learn the basics with me in a fun, non-threatening environment, with like-minded individuals. Click here for more info about Beginners’ Yoga classes.

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Are you ready to learn how to meditate? Check out my FREE guided meditation videos and learn more about how to prepare to meditate on my Hang Ten Meditation page.

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Are you ready to take a deeper dive in your yoga journey and share your passion for yoga with others? If the answer is yes, please consider my Healthy, Mind, Body, Soul 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program. This program will begin October 6, 2017 at Sequoia Wellness at the Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown, Ohio. I’m also super excited to announce that I will co-teach another 200-hour YTT program with Mary Pat Murphy that will begin on November 10, 2017 at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Health and Fitness Center in New Albany, Ohio (Columbus).

I’m really excited about these programs because when I was called to be a 200-YTT student, I couldn’t do all those handstands and super bendy poses you always see on social media. That didn’t stop me though, because I  figured the world needed more teachers who want to reach people who may be intimidated by yoga but always wanted to give it a try, people with injuries or back issues like scoliosis, people who were leading stressful lives who were seeking a kinder, gentler approach to yoga, and people who want their yoga to be more than just a physical exercise, but a way to live their practice off the mat with more love, peace, compassion, and joy in their lives. It’s not so much about touching your toes, but touching your heart, and that is the kind of teaching I strive to share.

If you are ready, not only will one teacher appear, but several teachers! I am honored to say that Mary Pat Murphy E-RYT 500, Dr. Sharon Stills, and Master Reiki practitioner Sarah Greenawalt, will all be guest teachers during the Healthy Mind, Body, Soul 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program, so you will benefit from the incredible energy and knowledge of many teachers.

Graduates of the 2016-17 Healthy Mind, Body, Soul Yoga Teacher Training Program – I’m so proud of them!!

If you are interested, please head over to the Healthy Mind, Body, Soul 200-Yoga Teacher Training page here on the Daily Downward Dog for more information. Applications are now being accepted and you are welcome to call or email me to talk more about the program or with any questions.

When you are ready, the teacher will appear. Open your hearts yogis and be present, your calling, whatever it is, will speak to you when you are ready, and if your heart is truly open to it…the right teacher or yoga retreat will appear.