Yoga & Me: A Love Story

Once upon a time in New York City, I learned that I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome (good ole IBS).

So romantic, right? Maybe a bit TMI, but a brutal reality for any fellow people suffering. Most of my teen and adult life, I'd experienced symptoms of IBS. I'm not going to get graphic here, if you're curious go Web MB it. All this to say, it's extremely uncomfortable and painful.

I went to doctors and nutritionists who put me on an array of diet regimes, including the FODMAP diet. What are the FODMAP foods you may be wondering? Literally anything delicious. From garlic, to dairy, to wheat, and even some fruits and vegetables. No matter how many food groups I eliminated, I would still have extreme discomfort. But why?

One of my doctors suggested that the cause of my IBS could (most likely) be linked to my anxiety. Shocker! I've experienced anxiety since I was a kid, and was only formally diagnosed with an anxiety disorder two years ago when I started seeing a psychiatrist. But it makes sense why my anxiety would have an impact on my digestion, the gut is literally connect to the brain by millions of nerves. Sometimes when I'm anxious I binge and scavenge the cabinets. Other times, I can barely hold food down. I'd even experienced amenorrhea (loss of my period) because of my wonky eating habits. My body was clearly screaming for help.

Impatient and straight to the point, I just asked what drugs I should take. She suggested finding a good therapist and taking up yoga first. So, it began.

My first memories practicing yoga were at a donation-based studio in East Village. I distinctly remember standing in Half-Moon pose, clenching my breath and thinking, “Seriously? How much longer am I supposed to stand like this!?” I noticed the students around me, some decades older, flowing with ease and barely breaking a sweat. Being the naturally competitive person I am, I hated not excelling in the class. Sitting still to practice meditation and holding postures for minutes at a time was honestly like torture, but I was desperate for any “cure” at this point. So, I stuck around.

Then during the COVID lockdown, my mental health was unarguably at its worst state (as it was for most of us), and yoga was my saving grace. I ended up enrolling in a 200-Hour Teacher Training, and the rest is history.

Beyond the countless physical benefits of yoga, the powerful triad of physical, intellectual, and spiritual mindfulness helped my anxiety and digestive issues in ways I couldn't have imagined. Yoga shifted my glass half-empty outlook, to one with more gratitude, compassion, and peace. The lessons in being kinder to myself, looking for the truth in every situation, and opting out of my negative mindset granted me a deeper sense of gratitude than I had ever experienced in my life. The glass that was once half-empty now felt like it was overflowing.

Many years, classes, and Half-Moon poses later, I am proud to be a yoga teacher myself. Words cannot express how grateful I feel for the opportunity to share my practice with my students and illuminate all of the valuable principles that yoga has taught me.

And that was only the beginning. More on our love story another time ;)

With love and light,

Tessa