I remember when I first became a yoga teacher feeling shame that I only have 300 hours of yoga teacher training. When I told my RMT, she laughed. “Ashley dear, training is important, but what makes you a good teacher is so much more than that. It is your life experience. We all want to learn from someone with life experience. Share that girl!”
So here it is my friends, no more boasting about academic credentials. Introducing… my School of Life Resume.
2005: Perspective and Feminism. Spent 2 months on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua living with local families (Albertina and her family seen below - they were community heroes), studying feminism and critical development before embarking on my first backpacking trip to costa rica.
2006: Team-building and Diversity. Participated in a six month Canada World Youth exchange in Canada and rural Honduras, worked at a nursing home in Perth, Ontario and a women's co-op in San Marcos, Honduras with 14 beautiful strangers from across the globe. Learned Spanish and fell mad for Latin culture.
2007: Family and Resistance. Studied economic development in Argentina with the Madres of Plaza de Mayo, published my first academic essay (now available in libraries), and travelled through the desert to Chile with my big sister.
2008: Leadership and Patience. Co-facilitated a group of North American youth to the Quechua region of Ecuador to build schools and experience development ‘on the group’ with Me To Me Trips.
2009: Revolution and Corruption. Became a political journalist reporting from the Honduran coup. Threatened by my own government and coup supporters alike. Got home alive. Learned that almost everything you read in the news is a version of truth.
2010: Sustainability and Shamanism. Hitchhiked Costa Rican Eco-lodges with permaculture-expert and learned everything about the booming “eco-movement” at the time. Knocked on a strangers door on Christmas eve for a place to stay, turned out to be Ziggy the Shaman and my spiritual journey began.
2011: Following my heart and dreams. Quit my job, gave away my clothes, phone and apartment and moved to Peru, then Ecuador, then Colombia to be a travel writer and yoga teacher. Found pure happy.
2012: Detachment and Perseverance. Travelled North America with my partner hosting yoga, personal growth and structural integration workshops everywhere from Hollywood Boulevard to Burning Man.
2014: Resilience and Discomfort. Was hired to teach yoga and mindfulness at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas for one week and saw the dark side of Vegas and the power of mindfulness.
2017: Love and Nurturing. Had my first baby and began hosting prenatal, postnatal and mom and baby yoga classes across Toronto and in my own home.
2020: Creativity and Magic. Had my second child and launched my fav entrepreneurial feat yet - Window Workout - a viral fitness company- at the height of the global pandemic which was featured in Toronto Life, BlogTo, CTV News and so much more.
2023: Who knows! Waiting for the next lessons from the universe :)