We asked Catharine about how she became interested in yoga teacher training at Yoga North. Here’s what she told us.

Yoga has played an extremely important part in my life. I kind of “fell” into it many years ago, but as I became more involved, I  couldn’t get enough of it. I think I have been a “spiritual seeker” most, if not all, of my life. I took a leap and decided to study for my 200 hours, and then my 300 (500) hours. Maybe I was in the first of these classes taught at YN. In both I was always the oldest in the class. I think my having “studied myself” to become a psychologist helped me to be open and to self reflect.  

As usual, once I committed to my participation, I did so with my whole heart. I was able to study with many teachers. My original guru was Deb Adele. I’ve attended the Methodist church all my life, but I bow to yoga philosophy if there is a disagreement between the two. The haikus for Deb’s “Yamas and Niyamas” flowed from me. I finally realized I was knowledgable enough to teach chair yoga, which was very satisfying. One thing I “learned” was that I could welcome anyone, even if they were late to class. When my husband breathed his last breath, I pictured him instantly merging with the Universe, which has been comforting to me. 

 Now I have advancing Parkinson’s and I’m 84. I attend the Yoga for Parkinson’s Disease. It is harder to navigate through my life, yet Yoga remains a part of my soul. I recently re-read the “Bhagavad Gita”  to help me center myself. Yoga has blessed me in so many ways.