Our Yoga Story Series Continues...
It was a huge, intuitive hit…..Shirley MacLaine’s new book “Dance While You Can” practically jumped off the bookstore display. I was a professional dance teacher and for 13 years I was happily running my 2 dance studios, teaching 27 classes a week, doing choreography, recitals, raising my daughter, and loving every minute of it!! I was very high energy and physically fit all of my life when I suddenly began experiencing severe and limiting cardiac issues caused by Fabry’s disease. For years, Atrial fibrillation put me in the hospital every few months and would, eventually, require heart surgery and end my dance teaching career. I joyously continued to “dance while I could”. I was surprised to read that Shirley MacLaine did Yoga every day. As a dancer, and knowing absolutely nothing about Yoga, it just didn’t make sense to me when a dancer is all about body connection through movement, stretching, strengthening, balance and rhythm.
As I got sicker, I wanted something to replace dance, so I followed Shirley’s lead and tried Yoga. I lived in rural Coudersport, Pennsylvania and the nearest Yoga studio was at Penn State - 2 hours each way! So I bought books and videos, and as a trained dance professional, I could mimic the poses but I knew that I was missing the very essence of Yoga. I made the 4 hour round trip to the Yoga studio at Penn State, and while the teacher did GREAT Yoga, she was a HORRIBLE Yoga teacher! I decided to become trained myself.
Synchronistically, I found YogaFit with trainings in Pennsylvania. After completing Level 1, I was required to teach 8 hours of community service Yoga and was totally amazed when 32 people showed up for my first free Yoga class in Coudersport! There was so much interest that I added Yoga at my dance studios, watched the program grow, and trained toward my 200 hours RYT. A short time after certification, I became an ERYT - Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher, for teaching another 1000 hours after RYT 200.
My huge work load was taking its toll…I had to make a change, so in 2005 I sold everything and moved to Frederick to begin Fabry’s treatment at Johns Hopkins. I was SO EXCITED the first day I drove up Patrick Street and saw “Yoga today” at Sol Yoga!! I took class that same day with Eva, who suggested I talk to Dorcas about teaching at Sol, and have been on staff ever since. Thank you, Dorcas!!
Teaching fewer dance classes in Frederick was still very challenging on my body, while Yoga was healing. My heart was extremely compromised, even after a cardiac catheter ablation, so I retired from dance. I now teach a few Yoga classes a week which I love and is perfect for my compromised health!!!! I am a living, breathing example of how to accept your circumstances after drastic life changes, honoring your body, living with chronic illness, the ups and downs everyday from disease, and finding health, well-being and a spiritual connection through Yoga. I love Yoga, the chakras, and the body’s subtle energy system, so I followed a second passion and became certified as an energy healer, a Healing Touch Certified Practitioner. I’m grateful to be able to give to others and touch their lives through Yoga and Healing Touch.
I hope my life story will speak to someone who may be struggling with illness or unexpected life changes. What may appear to be a tragedy has been the greatest gift in my life and it’s made me who I am today. Women with Fabry’s don’t usually survive their 50’s….I turned 60 in August. I appreciate every single moment and my life is rich, joyous, peaceful and loving. I live in gratitude every day.
Namaste’
Debra Spotts
ERYT
Healing Touch Certified Practitioner
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