Shirley Barrick
The expression that life happens while we make our plans describes my yoga journey. At 62 I was very happy working as a full time nurse in a large Fertility clinic on the East coast. I had plans to work several more years but my mothers failing health required my full time attention, so I retired and moved her to Texas to care for her and be close to my sister.
Two years earlier for my 60th birthday I had decided to reclaim my health and made major changes in my lifestyle and diet. I made fitness and Yoga a priority.
My daughter Sarah was a yoga teacher and had been encouraging me to start yoga and meditation for years. Once I did, I was hooked. Yoga and the beautiful dance of movement and breathing techniques became a form of meditation for me and was very healing.
After moving to Texas I found I was not ready to be fully retired and decided to become a yoga teacher. I knew I wanted to teach Prenatal Yoga, as my entire nursing career had involved caring for women and I wanted to continue doing so. So I completed yoga teacher training and additional prenatal trainings.
I feel so fortunate to have experienced such a wide array of experiences in my field and it has given me a great understanding of the unique nature of each pregnancy and delivery. Having witnessed everything from home births to cesarean birth, and all aspects of high tech fertility treatment such as IVF, I have such appreciation for the miracle of pregnancy and birth. I use this experience to provide a supportive environment for each individual in my class.
The Prenatal Yoga practice is suitable for all levels of yoga and is safe for all stages of an uncomplicated pregnancy. The poses can be adapted to the different stages of pregnancy and each woman is encouraged to listen to their body and make the practice what they need.
My classes are informal and I encourage discussion but all while enjoying movement. I believe in the strength of women and their bodies and believe that yoga and breathing techniques can help with possible discomforts of pregnancy and can prepare women for their birthing experience.
I enjoy teaching prenatal because it allows me to blend my love of Yoga and movement, my own pregnancy and birth experience, and my nursing career into a comprehensive class. The informal nature of the class and the environment of open discussion leads to a supportive community. I have seen beautiful lasting friendships form in my classes.