Greetings you amazing individual you…I’m writing you because I was reminded of my original intention in becoming a yoga teacher during a series of moments I experienced over the past few days. After watching a Yoga and Diversity documentary, receiving unexpected change in policy news from a fellow yoga teacher, looking around the room in a recent yoga class and a plethora of questions and answers that arose for me during a recent yoga practice I was reminded of the following. I became a yoga teacher to make YOGA more ACCESSIBLE to ALL regardless of GENDER, ETHNICITY or FINANCIAL ABILITY.
When I began practicing yoga regularly I was usually the only guy, the only person in the room that wasn’t white and the only person that couldn’t afford to take classes regularly. Fortunately, due to my gender and cultural studies I was able to get past the occasional comments, glares, and my own fears of being in the room. However, though yoga had opened an immense amount of doors for me (peace, happiness, health, etc.) I was about to stop attending public yoga classes due to my inability to afford them. During a series of conversations (in which I let go of ego) I was able to negotiate a drastically reduced price with a local yoga studio owner. We’d agreed that I would assist in promoting and maintaining the studio and the owner would in turn drastically reduce my fees…(FOR THIS I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL). It was also with this beautiful spirit’s guidance that I gained the confidence to become a yoga teacher so that I could bring to others what I had been experiencing on my mat in that studio. The next challenge of course became finding yoga teacher trainings that I could afford. Thanks to the power of manifestation (and God opening doors for me) I found and became immersed in a series of trainings that offered scholarships and manageable long term payment plans.
I left my yoga teacher trainings with the ability and confidence to bring yoga to others. Then…(TUN TUN TUUUUN) finances became a burden. Even more than before. At the time I was a traveling performer/educator and only receiving relatively small payments that were roughly spread out through the year. With a heavy financial burden increasing I decided to become a full time yoga teacher and take on local after school teaching positions (in which I developed 2 distinct programs for 2 distinct high schools where students could learn life skills via the guise of Spoken Word Poetry and the Performing Arts…AMAZINGNESS CAME FROM IT…Shout out to UAP & the Nex 2 B Read Club). Then life kept happening. I taught an average of 14 classes a week at 13 different locations, had to let go of the after school teaching opportunities, began developing young adult programs for a local not-for-profit and then took a position at a local community college.
During about 3-4 years of constant life changes I’d lost the clarity of my vision and partially forgotten my goal of making yoga more available. Though I feel my teaching and coaching style tends to be more inclusive within my classes I’d partially forgotten about the populations that were not in my classes. And now here I am announcing a re-dedication to my goal. Considering my experiences outlined above I’ve decided to base my pricing on a modified sliding scale.
If you or someone you know is interested in Private, Semi-Private or Life Coaching Consultations (for further details go to https://juancarlosom.com/class-offering/) please contact me via CYT@JuanCarlosOM.com. From there I will introduce my rates along with the following notes…
-Payment Plans Available
-Karma Discounts (sliding scale) available for Veterans & Seva (selfless service)Workers.
-HALF OFF OF ORIGINAL RATES or BARTERING available to anyone who would like to receive Yoga or Life Coaching services but is currently unable to afford original rates. NO QUESTIONS ASKED! Simply stand in your truth and state the following code phrase… PARA TODOS :).
May you be well, filled with light and joy and always know that YOU BELONG. Regardless of those that may consciously or unconsciously say or feel otherwise,
Juan Carlos
P.S. Enjoy the below videos…because this life is too precious, too short and too diverse not to enjoy it.
NOTE: Videos originally posted via http://www.GlobalMindBody.org
Juan-Carlos 