I met Amber in my first week on Oʿahu, Hawaiʿi. She worked in the hostel where I was staying. I remembered her kindness and so when I was in desperate need of printing something for school with all the print shops closed, I stopped by the hostel. Amber was at the desk and helped me out. She printed my documents twice and in different font sizes, just in case. Printers always require some patience so we talked. The conversation was brief but good and she invited me for her yoga classes in the hostel.
A few weeks later I came to a Yin class. It was one of the best yoga classes I have followed and honestly, all because of who Amber was as a teacher. It was in the small things. She for example asked, when everyone had their eyes closed at the start, to raise your hand if you would rather not be corrected during the practice. I do not remember any of my previous yoga teachers asking this. If someone doesn't want to be touched for whatever reason this question is so important! She also emphasized that yoga is about showing up to your mat, not about doing well, making me feel good with myself right from the start.
Sometimes your balance is really good and sometimes it is horribly off. And both are okay.
After the class I asked if I could interview her about her yoga journey and her spirituality. It was for a school project that was due soon so we did it that afternoon. (There was no time to pick up better audio recording equipment from school, so please excuse the poor audio quality). The interview went great and we were supposed to shoot footage from her yoga classes after. However, the next day when I came for the class Amber was not not there. She was at the doctor with a lot of pain to find out she had three broken ribs due to a surf accident. For days she was unable to breathe without being in incredible pain, let alone teach a yoga class.
This woman never stopped to inspire me. When we got coffee a couple of weeks later I asked her how she was doing and how her healing process had been going so far. One of the things she told me was how she learned to appreciate the breath and being able to breathe without pain. She also told me she had started focusing on the aspects of yoga practice that do not need physical movement. I never realized how the philosophy of yoga is so much more than moving, breathing and meditating. I am currently trying to learn more about this and I will dedicate a blog to it sometime. The way Amber has been dealing with the pain, the immobility the first days, and the healing journey is impressive, raw and inspiring. I could have dedicated a whole video on that in itself, but as I was leaving the island there was no time to film it.
So for now I have this interview with Amber for you. Like other teachers, Amber sometimes uses quotes in her yoga classes, but Amber told me she does not quote big names like Buddha. She quotes from conversations she has had with people, in or outside of her class. Because you do not need to be famous to be a great teacher. We can all learn from each other and there is lessons in everything.
I hope this video holds a lesson for you, whatever that lesson may be. And I hope that Amber inspires you like she inspired me.
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