By Sierra Goldstein, reschool.posterous.com
Two years ago I was going through a very tough time. I had just started middle school, my parents weren’t living together at the time, and I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to be my true self or follow everything that my friends were doing. Lonely and cconfused, I clung to my friends for dear life, hoping that they would give me comfort. And so the journey began.
At that time, the people I was hanging out with were making some really poor choices. All through sixth grade I often I heard them talking about drugs and alcohol. Then, at one of my friend’s birthday parties, they all decided that they were going to do drugs. That’s when it hit me. I wasn’t this person who was trying so desperately to fit in. I needed to be on a different, more authentic path, on where I could grow as a person instead of hurting myself. Realizing the being alone would be better than that lifestyle. I began looking for a way to make myself feel whole again. This is when the blessing of Dharma yoga came into my life.
My mom, Heather, was the one who suggested Dharma Yoga. She saw me struggling to find myself and knew that yoga would guide me on the path to happiness. But honestly, I didn’t like the idea at first. The concept was foreign and strange to me. For a while I resisted anything to do with yoga. But I was desperate, so I tried it.
My mom and I walked into the class, her thrilled and me nervous. The teacher’s name was Liz. She was one of the happiest people I had ever seen and that fact allowed me to relax a bit. Liz told us to spread out our mats and come to a comfortable seated position. Then she softly told us to close our eyes and breath. Through the next 75 minutes, I was guided through my first Dharma Yoga class. I forgot all about the troubling thoughts dancing around in my mind. The only thought that I had left was this is for me.
It’s now 18 months later and I am two months away from getting my teaching certificate. My dream is to travel around the world and become enriched in culture and community so that I may deepen my practice even more. Yoga has changed my life and given me the perfect practice to become whole again. In becoming a teacher of yoga, many opportunities are opening up for me. It feels as though this is the life I am meant to live.
About Sierra
My name is Sierra Goldstein, I am a 14 year old living in Loveland, Colorado. I love to exercise, read, and learn about self-healing. My dream is to be asked to travel to different remote villages that are rich in culture and community. While I’m there, I want to talk to locals and learn how they live, and experience how they live. To give back to the people who have helped me, I want to write a book about all the teachings. People live their entire lives trying to figure out who they are. I am very blessed to have found out at such a young age, and I want to share that with people everywhere! I could not have made it through this journey by myself though. My parents, Liz, friends, and mentors all helped me. And of course, so did Yoga. Twitter: @ SGoldstein33 Email:sierragoldstein@gmail.com Blog: reschool.posterous.com
PHOTO (cc): Flickr / mavik2007
Sierra, you inspire all of us, regardless of age, to follow our dreams and live out our true life passions. Thank you for sharing your story with us!
Definitely an inspiration! Saving the world one person at a time and starting with yourself is wonderful, indeed. Great to see that our youth have goals to make such an impact. Best of luck with your future path.
so very cool that you are posting here sweet. your heart and your mission are inspirations that beg to be shared.
Super awesome, Sierra! A transparent self is revealed in your writing here, a self I am privileged to get to know. Thank you…