Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Anderson.
Hi Christine, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
At 17, I was an “unruly teen” I got straight A’s, was in sports, and had all the right friends but I got swept up in the curiosity of drugs and alcohol. My mom intervened and introduced me to yoga. At that moment, it didn’t fully stick but it did spark something that later turned into a full integration in my life and work but before I get to present day, there are some important elements that happened in those between years. By my senior year of high school, my parents made the hard decision to take me out of school and send me away to a drug and alcohol rehab. By this time, I had already gone to the E.R. 2x for alcohol poisoning and an outpatient rehab. Looking back, I was never addicted to alcohol but definitely got lost in the party scene so my parents felt they had to send me away. I will forever hold gratitude for their intervention, it woke me up. While in rehab, I spent a lot of time thinking, reflecting and attending philosophical session which made me take more time investigating life. By the time I was successfully discharged, I graduated high school earlier and headed to Chicago for college to become an art teacher. During my college years, I found my way back to yoga via YouTube and eventually local studios. When I graduated, I taught art on the Southside at a high school. I was overcome with stress and anxiety and starting feeling unfulfilled and depleted. I had to make some big changes, so I left my job, moved from Chicago to Austin, Texas and before I knew it was enrolled in a yoga training. I knew immediately that this is what light my soul on fire. I started teaching public classes, after schools programs, apartment complexes, for sports teams, young children, senior homes, you name it. I found my passion and wanted to share the healing benefits of the practice. I continued further education, found mentors and before I knew it was teaching in yoga trainings! I loved education but public education wasn’t the right fit, now I was teaching about the body, the breath, philosophy and meditation and how it can add to the quality of our lives. Each training I led, I became more confident and door kept opening. Eventually, I was invited to teach yoga at a financial firm and got invited to teach trainings with an international yoga training company based in Bali and I now have the honor of running! My life feels aligned, purposeful and full of inspiration.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Yes and no! Teaching art on the Southside of Chicago was soul-sucking, I felt depleted, anxious, confused and unhappy. However, because of that challenging season I was driven to dive inward and make the changes necessary to live the life I know lead. Once I made the decision to leave Chicago and pursue the world of yoga, I felt everything shift. Of course, during my first year of teaching yoga, there were moments of doubt if I could make this a thriving career but I kept my focus on my passion and never looked back since.
As you know, we’re big fans of East + West Yoga. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
East + West Yoga is an international yoga training school largely based in Bali, Indonesia. We focus on working with Eastern Indian teachers as well as Western teachers to provide a holistic yoga program for our students. Our students join in from all over the globe which makes the training experience that much more rewarding. We have a lot of people coming that are looking to make changes in their lives whether it be relationships, careers or craving an overall reset and they get that and more during our 22 days of intensive trainings. The Eastern teachers focus on teaching yoga history, philosophy, breath work and traditional hatha-based practices while the Western teachers guide anatomy, sequencing, alignment and the professional side of being a yoga teacher. My role has shifted from a lead trainer to now leading the company! I organized our trainings, create curriculum, support our teachers and connect with our incoming students. I am most proud that East + West has a passion of honoring the origins of yoga through our Eastern Teachers while preparing students with the understanding of the western mind and body. Often, we think of yoga you may think of a sweaty yoga studio and challenging yoga postures Yoga East + West heartbeat is to come back to the roots of yoga while still making it accessible and approachable in our western-based yoga scene.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
My heart truly believes that each individual would benefit from doing a yoga training even if they don’t end up teaching <3 It gives you the opportunity to step away from the hustle of life, dive inward, connect with like-minded humans across the globe, reconnects to your body and find clarity in your life. It sounds cliché but it is life-changing.
Pricing:
- $4,850 for a shared room (includes training, lodging, meals)
- $5,850 for a private room (includes training, lodging, meals)
Contact Info:
- Email: christine@yogaeastwest.com
- Website: https://yogaeastwest.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/yoga_eastwest?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9N_CO4UUczGIM27bgok3gA
Image Credits
@felipemln
