Moving Out of My Basement
by Kent Ishimoto

February 2019

I came to this studio after being thrown into teaching yoga with little knowledge and no sense of direction. I was so worried about where I should go in life, when I should've figured out where I currently am first. The teachers and students here showed me my blind spots, my roots and my potential. The Katonah material provided me tools to hone so I can live life with joy. Though this has improved my teaching exponentially, it is the fact that I am much more fascinated and curious about other aspects of life that I am truly grateful. The universe is a mystery, but it’s not a secret. The Katonah material was the tool kit that helped me understand it better. Like a great story, the material provides new insight with each read.  As I grow older and more experienced in life, I'll continue to refer back to it for coordination, management, insight and integration.  

The first day I came to The Studio, a year ago, was the day I got read. It already feels like ages ago because you all know and taught me so well. When I moved out of my basement to the 2nd floor of my house, I had many new experiences and changes within me and my circumstances. Many were welcomed changes, though hard to adjust to. Some experiences were so overwhelming that I lost sight of myself and destroyed a close relationship. One of those moments, where I thought I had my shit together, when I really didn't. My failure to articulate myself.   

During that time, I also had a strong feeling that was time for me to go out into the world. Months later, Nevine read me and then I wast recently read by Abbie again. It was comforting to be confirmed (twice!) that this is the next thing for me to do. So taking things literal again, I'll be leaving the house in April. Going around to the right by traveling west, to understand how to participate in the world.  

When students tell me they wish they found this material when they were younger, I feel very grateful and lucky. Like many others, I wanted something more from what I knew and saw in modern Yoga. I was also skeptical of everything, so deciding on learning from a certain teacher always seemed hard for me to commit to. It was all the little sayings on what it means to be a dimensional human that made me want to learn from this studio. Seeing and learning to understand the universe within and around me. Thank you to all of you. I look forward to growing with you all.