Grace Siwik – Student Story
Originally from Ontario, Grace Siwik came from a background as a competitive athlete, playing field hockey, soccer and boxing. “I played pretty much every contact sport you can think of. I beat up and got beat up a lot. It was really hard on my body,” Grace said.
After breaking her hand for the third time, a doctor suggested Grace try something a little more relaxing, prompting her to try yoga as an alternative to contact sports and to recover from the injuries.
“I thought yoga was just like stretching where the lights are dim and people are chanting and singing. It was much more challenging than I expected, both physically and mentally. I loved it,” Grace said.
She kept up the practice for several years before moving to Vancouver in 2015 for a sales job in a health company.
“It was pretty stressful. The job wasn’t healthy. I needed a change and didn’t know what to do. My best friend gave me some great advice and I decided to go in the opposite direction and do something more restful,” Grace said.
Looking for a time of healing, Grace signed up for the Immersion 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training program led by Rebekka Walker in September 2017.
“Everybody came with such different reasons for being there. It was so beautiful to experience how people from different countries, ages, belief systems and backgrounds can come together through this connection of yoga and just love and support each other.”
Since the program, Grace says her yoga practice has been focussed on listening to her body and not having expectations about how a pose should look.
“We’ve all been in that place where we feel we’re not good enough or we’re not doing it right but who cares how much you can reach your toes in a forward fold! You’re still in the pose.”
Grace says she’s looking forward to encouraging her future students to feel okay where they are, both on and off the mat.
“Everybody needs a place to start. Wherever you are is great, and enough. There’s only room to grow. The beautiful thing about yoga is that there are so many different levels and forms of the poses. There’s always something to work forward towards.”
After graduating in October, Grace moved back to Ontario to regroup and spend time with friends and family while she decides what her next step will be. She hopes to travel, teach and one day move abroad. Follow Grace’s journey on Instagram: @siwikgrace.
The next 200-hour Immersion Yoga Teacher Training Program runs January 15 – February 23, 2018. This Yoga Alliance Certified program is led by the amazing Rebekka Walker and will help you develop your own authentic voice as a yoga teacher.
