We are excited to publish this Q & A with one of San Francisco's best yoga instructors, Megan Gathers. If you are looking for a yoga instructor in the San Francisco area or you are thinking of becoming one, read Megan's story, and her yoga tips in this article. Also, Megan has overcome obstacles, read below to get inspired on overcoming your life obstacles/blocks.
Megan Gathers is a Yoga instructor & wellness expert based in
San Francisco, with over 12 years of experience. Megan helps women connect with their bodies and their self-worth through yoga, strength training, bodywork and meditation. She also helps office workers stay happy and pain-free through corporate yoga and stretch breaks.
Born with a deep interest in human potential, healing and revealing the innate wisdom of the body, her greatest joy is working with women on the path to greater freedom and ease in self-care.
Growing up, Megan struggled with low self-esteem, body dysmorphia and an eating disorder. She's grateful for this discomfort which oriented her to healing practices at a very young age. Through her challenges she's learned how to self-parent and befriend both her body and her mind.
Her surname Gathers comes from her father, though now she sees how beautifully fitting it is. Her path of gathering from many practices has given her a uniquely diverse toolbox from which she draws. It is her deepest honor to share the gifts she's gathered with you!
1. What sparked your motivation to become a yoga instructor?
Honestly, I was rather insecure and I don't think I would have made the leap from student to teacher unless a friend and mentor had given me a huge nudge! I'd been practicing yoga for over eight years when Eric Kipp from Hiking Yoga invited me to start teaching with him. From there I realized I was a natural and it seemed the Universe really really wanted me to be teaching yoga. Opportunities and invitations, seemingly from out of the blue, fell into my lap. From there I shaped my vision of working with women one-on-one through private yoga lessons, and in less than two years I was living my dream, exclusively teaching private & corporate yoga lessons in beautiful San Francisco.
2. How has yoga transformed your life?
For me, yoga acts as a powerful external practice that positively affects my internal world. During and after practice, I'm able to feel my own deepest truth and access my intuition with greater clarity. The combination of breathing, moving, opening and stretching the physical body leads to mental clarity and emotional resiliency. Whatever challenges I may be facing, it's easier for me to trust in the process and feel connected to my source after I've given myself the gift of a yoga practice. It's a formula that works with great success!
3. What are some of the transformations you have seen in your clients since committing to a yoga practice?
The biggest shift I love witnessing is when women begin honoring themselves in new and empowered ways. This could be in setting boundaries with their partners, prioritizing more time for self-care, or adding in a positive new ritual like shopping at the farmer's market or simply taking an occasional nap. I'm a huge fan of daytime naps as a way to reset the nervous system and rest our brains and our eyes. Over time, taking care of our bodies becomes more natural. When a woman is fully honoring herself in this way, she's unstoppable.
4. What are some of your favorite yoga poses and why?
Savasana! Or final resting pose. This is one of the key poses that truly distinguishes yoga from a calisthenics class. At the end of a practice, the body and the nervous system receive a grand rest and reset period just by lying completely still. The simplicity of it is so beautiful. The literal definition of Savasana is corpse pose, and though it may sound morbid, I quite like thinking of this final resting pose as a sneak-peek into the moment when we're no longer alive in our physical bodies. We are more than our bodies, and Savasana gives us a preview into our own greater essence, or that which is beyond physical form. So at its highest function, Savasana may even help us lessen our fear of death. At a minimum, it's a really sweet relaxation not to be missed!
Down Dog! Because this shape is so intuitive and feels so good that cats and dogs and toddlers do it without prompting. It helps adults get out of their heads and connect with their animal nature, using all the major muscle groups. Having the head below the heart gives us most of the benefits of the more challenging inversions, like a boost in circulation and more oxygen to the brain. It's also great for lengthening our spine and opening the back of the legs. I find that a lot of lower back pain comes from tight hamstrings, and a bit of Down Dog brings awareness and length to the entire back of the body. Brilliant!
We hope you enjoyed reading Megan's responses as much as we did! If you want to learn more about Megan or work with her visit her website: www.megangathers.com or find her on Instagram: @megangatherswellness
Megan is available for virtual lessons anywhere in the world, and in person lessons in the Bay Area.
"I believe that the world is a kinder place when people feel connected to their own physical strength and feel comfortable in their skin." -Megan Gathers
Megan Gathers
yoga, strength training & bodywork
www.megangathers.com
ig @megangatherswellness
Phone Number: 415.505.8234
If this empowering article has blessed you in anyway, share it with your friends, family, colleagues and social media followers to spread the love! If you to further your self-improvement with free resources on meditation techniques and a free self-care journal, visit our Resources Section.