by Butch Mitchell, ‘Papa Yogi’ at Leap yoga – Folsom Ca.
When you experience a great meal at a new restaurant…you can’t wait to tell others….here’s my story.
After completing my 200 hours of Teacher’s Training over six years ago I deciding to join in on opening a yoga studio with a group of three others…two of which were seasoned teachers. They were holding “try outs” and I asked to be considered for one of the positions and when could I try out. A couple of weeks later I received the news that I had made the team and was offered the 5:45 am class on Tuesday and Thursday. I was going to teach yoga!
As “luck” would have it our first official class was on Thursday…February 16, 2012…at 5:45. We had 3 people in class…and one was my wife and the other was an employee of the studio…who, by the way…after the class…told the other owners “….I don’t think Butch is going to make it”.
I was very intimidated as many of the students that attended the class were other yoga teachers. But I was like a sponge…asking for feedback at every turn, attending any workshop that came my way. “I have to get better”, I would say to myself…I have to share this with others “how yoga had changed my life. Well I did get better and the classes grew and I felt I was making a difference.
Now Kaiut yoga has come into my life. I first heard about KAIUT Yoga from my teacher Stacy. Months back she was on vacation in Bolder Colorado when she called me and said “I just had the best yoga class…it’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced” Wow I said…sounds interesting…what’s it called? KAIUT she replied …what? I asked. KAIUT…it’s named after its founder Francisco Kaiut…from Brazil, and he’s been teaching it for about 30 years. So…to make this long story a little shorter, we asked one of our teachers, Molly, if she’d be interested in attending a Teachers Training that was scheduled to start soon in Toronto, Canada. She jumped at the chance. After she completed the training she returned home anxious to share what she had learned with our students but wanted to practice her teaching at home for a month or so until she felt more comfortable. Once we introduce KAIUT to the Leap Students it was evident that we were going to need more classes AND more teachers. So Michelle, Molly, Cindi and yours truly were off to Toronto for Teacher’s Training with Francisco himself. While the training was amazing and I plan on going back for another 100 hours…my real story is what it has done for my body. You see I’ve had a bad back sense I was in my early 20s…born with scoliosis of spine and low back issues caused from working in construction while in college… I’ve been in some kind back “discomfort” for over 50 years. On about the third day of training I was struggling in a pose called “Sukasana”…it’s where you’re sitting on your bolster, legs crossed, leaning forward…slightly forward in my case… with hands on your mat. Francisco walked over to me, bent down, took my hands, gently pulled my hands and arms forward saying “the spine will follow”. It was after that class that I realized that most of my back issues must be related to my hips…not my back. In sharing this with Francisco…his comment was…”It’s all in our hips”.
So now it’s back to square one…teaching a new style of yoga. And while I’m intimidated all over again…this is something that must to be shared. Won’t you please join me as we learn more together over our weekend with Francisco Kaiut…January 18- 21st at Leap Yoga. Post script: While in Toronto we stayed in a VRBO rental that had the hardest beds and pillows I have ever slept on…and guess what….NO back issues.
Namaste
Butch…aka Papa Yogi
For more information about Papa Yogi, Leap Yoga and Kaiut, please visit www.leapyoga.net