Curiosity is one of the central tenets of mindfulness and it is a part of the practice which comes naturally to Timothy Lewis. Born curious, Timothy has allowed life to lead him and has committed to listening to and following the signals the universe gives him about which direction to go. This practice led him to take on the challenging role of a science teacher in a New York City school and told him when it was time to move on. It also led him to me.
Timothy walked into my yoga studio, Land Yoga, one New Year’s Eve. We had a regular NYE candle-lit class that often drew many new people to try out the space, but Timothy was different. He didn’t just come for New Year’s, he returned again and again. Timothy became a regular at Land Yoga participating in daily Ashtanga classes, yoga philosophy courses, and an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program taught by my husband, Thimo Wittich. He eventually went on to become a certified yoga teacher and mindfulness coach.
I knew immediately that once he was a 200-hour certified yoga teacher I would invite him to take the Three and a Half Acres Yoga trauma-informed yoga teacher training and become a trauma-informed yoga teacher. I’m so glad I did. As a trauma-informed yoga teacher, Timothy has supported many Three and a Half Acres Yoga partners, bringing chair yoga, especially to our partners at Saint Mary’s in Harlem.
Timothy also brought yoga and breathwork to his mother when she was in the hospital with covid. He shares this story and chair yoga practices in my book, The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga and will be speaking on his experience at many of the book release events including a special event on May 13th for anyone who supports the nonprofit, Three and a Half Acres Yoga with any level donation. I hope many of you will be there supporting his work and that of the nonprofit and the book! You can see more book events HERE.
Timothy’s curiosity is still leading him. Most recently it brought us both to an intimate talk with Deepak Chopra at Eddie Stern’s Ashtanga yoga space and temple. If you are looking to grow your curiosity here are a few tips:
- Pursue lifelong learning: Take courses, attend workshops, and read books.
- Seek out new experiences: This can be as simple as trying a new hobby, visiting a new place, or meeting new people.
- Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness practices, such as meditation or yoga, can help us to cultivate a sense of curiosity and wonder about our inner experiences and the world around us.
For more of Timothy’s wonderful tips on curiosity and the journey to becoming a trauma-informed yoga teacher, take a listen to him on the latest episode of the Beyond Trauma Podcast
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