Pam Watts, E-RYT 500

I started practicing yoga in 2000 with a group of fun-loving, dedicated Bitterroot yogis.  It began as a way of connecting to community, and committing to explore the yoga postures.  Initially for me yoga was a physical practice – exploring the confines of my body.  Wrapping myself into a pretzel was entertaining for a time but had its limits. What really intrigued me was the peace I felt at the end of practice.  My body felt light and open; my mind clear.  And I actually felt like a kinder person.  These “effects” are what really inspired (and continues to inspire) me to share yoga.

I began teaching in 2010 while completing my 200 hour teacher training with YogaMotion Academy in Bozeman, MT. Subsequently, I have attended workshops in vinyasa, anatomy, yin, and yogic philosophy.  In the summer of 2017 I completed YogaMotion’s 300 hour advanced teacher training program.

In 2016 was introduced to Craniosacral Therapy as an alternative treatment for low back pain that I had difficulty addressing with yoga.  Each session I received brought unexpected changes (all positive) in my life, both physically and mentally.  At my third session I took several naps on the table (I am not a napper, though I wish to be).  This got my attention, I was fascinated.  I began studying craniosacral therapy in 2016 with the Upledger Institute and have completed the CS1, CS2 and SER1 trainings. Craniosacral Therapy is modality of healing  that is deeply relaxing, deeply effective and yet so subtle and very complimentary to yoga.

The other side of my life centers around playing in the dirt; growing veggies with my family at Yourganic Farm.  While this is pretty fun, physical labor can come with its share of aches and pains.  My back sometimes hurts from long days of working, I have a shoulder that gets cranky, and my knees talk to me.  I can relate to feeling “tight” and sore. I use my yoga practice and craniosacral therapy to support my body, so I can continue my lifestyle and my work.  Besides the physical, studying yoga has given me a clearer sense of who I am, and how I want to participate in this world – to live in the present with an open heart and open mind.