Gentle Yoga

Blog #23. Who would have thought when I started this website that I would have so much to say. I think it might be from when I share my feelings a lot of times I just need someone to listen but I get met with some who's ready to offer a way to fix or "you just need to get over it." I professionally hold space for people. At some point I hope it will be returned.

My first experience with Yoga was Vinyasa Flow and it spoke to me. If you know anything about Ayurveda, the sister science to Yoga which treats the whole body, we are considered to be made of a constitution of Kapha, Vata and Pitta. Everyone has all three but not all equal. Kapha is earth, Vata is air and Pitta is fire as I interpret it. I would like to think I'm Kapha-Pitta by the way I'm shaped but who I am kidding. Have you met me?! I'm definitely a Pitta! I'm as firey as it gets! The Kapha part though- that's what has led me through nineteen half marathons in the back of the pack. Slow and steady.

Back to the Yoga. In 2010 or 2011 at Sol we participated in a 21 day challenging. It was thought that if you practiced everyday for 21 days you could create a habit. As a part of staff, we were given a free pass to practice in the "experiment". I was stoked! I remember our first practice together. Every mat space was taken in Studio Earth which meant that fourth row was filled. I feel like I remember avoiding being kicked my Melissa Karliceck (Divicenzo). It was glorious!

At the time I was working Friday - Sunday at Bob Evans which meant I have time to practice. I made a point to try classes I had never been to. I signed up for Debra's Thursday morning Gentle Yoga class. It was in Studio Earth and at 10am. It was much different than anything I had ever experienced. It moved a lot slower than I was used to do and being a "Pitta Kapha", I struggled with it. I added one vinyasa towards the end. I thought that was okay. My body, my practice, right? At the end Debra asked how I liked it. I responded that it was nice but it was a little slow for me. I was being honest.

As part of the challenge teachers were asked to share their experiences on Facebook to create community. The next day I read on the Sol Yoga page that "A 20 something woman came to class...." I can't remember what she said but I remember that I felt humiliated. First of all I was in my 30s and second of all it was my practice. Why was the teacher judging me in front of the world?

I never wanted to return to a Gentle Yoga class again. I didn't feel like I belong.

My role at Sol progressed. I went from volunteer up the ladder. Before I took Yoga Teacher Training I remember one Sunday morning a teacher didn't show up for the Good Cause class. It was a Gentle Class (of course) and it was full. What do I do? Tell these people to leave or step up and step in? Yoga is connecting movement with breath. As a waitress I was pretty good a putting on a show so that's what I did. No one died and they seemed to like it.

When I took Yoga Teacher Training, I initially didn't think I would want to teach. That changed really quick however I didn't really learn how to teach a Gentle Yoga class. I feel you learn how to teach through your personal practice. I got really good at teaching a Baptiste Flow. Far from Gentle Yoga. After I graduated I started teaching immediately and I taught a lot. It came easy to me. We had classes on Friday nights called Happy Hour. 5pm Gentle & 6:30pm Flow & Go. I subbed two weeks in a row both classes and had one Gentle Yoga class plan. I guess it didn't land because someone complained to one off my classmates. "Oh my god. She taught the same class plan with the same playlist." For some reason my classmate decided she needed to share this, voice and all. It haunted me for years.

Imposter syndrome...

Give me a Hot Power Class. Give 50 students in a class. I'll knock your socks off. Put me in a Gentle Class. I wanted to cry.

Fast forward to 2022 at Yogamour I was teaching Power Yoga at 8:30am on Saturday and Windy would follow me at 10am with Kundalini. Windy's the best! She would show up in her all white with her turbine. She took her Kundalini practice very seriously! She was in the process of writing her memoir and was on a deadline. She decided she needed to step away. Thinking with my business brain and how 10am on Saturday is a primetime spot, I decided to add a class. I had a lot of freedom with the schedule at the time. I didn't think we needed another Power Class so I got uncomfortable and put a Gentle in. I try to play cool about it. Like I didn't care. It's just Yoga. I also try to give it away but no one was interested in it. It didn't take very long for it to grow. However I dealt with that dreaded imposter syndrome for upwards of three years in the class. Everyone has an opinion and they sure didn't mind sharing it. I think I was told that they wish I could be less Jaime when I first started it. I don't know what that means. I'm strong. I can't help it. Every now and then I would share my story about the happy hour class to help explain why I teach the way I teach. It seems silly when I think about it now. I have the same people coming week after week. A lot of times I have anywhere between 25 - 30 people in that class. I mean I must be doing something right.

In 2026 I decided that I knew how to teach a Gentle Yoga class and I decided I enjoyed teaching Gentle Yoga. In my Power Yoga classes I tend to not demo but in Gentle, I move along with my class. It's a completely different experience. I feel connected to\ my students in a different way. I have experience in Physical Therapy and that's what I bring. And Yes. A lot of times I teach the same class plan with the same playlist but you know what that is. That's predictability. That gives my students and opportunity to learn. That's a win.