UPDATE (original blog post with Deborah’s story below this update)
The Princeton Center for Yoga & Health closed its doors as a yoga center July 31, 2021.
Deborah Metzger, founder and former director of the Center, continues to offer Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction programs and is collaborating with other organizations to continue the Center’s original mission to provide health, wellness and educational programming to the Greater Princeton and Montgomery Township communities and beyond. Visit our website for upcoming programs.
Orchard Hill Center is a commercial property in a natural setting with all modern amenities only minutes from Downtown Princeton.
Now offering Health and Well-being programs at Orchard Hill Center
https://orchardhillcenter.com/
#orcharhillcenter #rentalproperities #princeton #princetonyoga #mindfullness #health #happiness #mbsr #stressreduction #yoga #inspriation #inspirational #inspiringquote
Deborah’s Story:
Welcome to the new Princeton Yoga blog! Actually, I'm fairly illiterate when it comes to this world of internet technology - so I am grateful to the folks at Google for making this so easy and allowing us to communicate in cyberspace!
I first tried yoga as many of my peers in the 70's, dabbling a bit here and there. My first yoga class was at the Jewish Community Center in Ewing with a lovely and peace filled teacher - I wish I could remember her name!
Later, I came to yoga in earnest as a result of a healing crisis. In 1984, I developed asthma after a bout with pneumonia when I was pregnant with my youngest son. I had succumbed to what is now known as "sick building syndrome" where I worked for a State agency. We used to joke that I was like the 'canary' in the building - if I had symptoms, folks knew the air quality in the building was particularly poor that day.
I was told that once you get asthma this late in life, you never outgrow it. I was put on different medications, theophiline, inhalers with cortisone, inhalers without cortisone, predisone and more...
I didn't like that life sentence. I began searching out complementary healing methods, diet, nutrition, acupuncture, and other body/mind modalities and, quite by chance, in 1986, I found my way to Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Lenox, Massachusetts (where I was later certified to teach yoga).
In their very unique program called "Health for Life" I took in a simple, yet profound life lesson: The body will speak to us when we are out of balance with symptoms - for some, asthma, for some high blood pressure, cancer, back pain, ulcers, etc. At first the body will whisper to you. If you don't pay attention, it will speak a bit louder and if you still don't pay attention, it will eventually have to shout at you until you can't help but pay attention!
Well, after a short time of more ernest yoga practice, I decided to take the yoga teacher training at Kripalu Center - not so much with the aim of teaching yoga, but rather to deepen my understanding and practice. I never thought I'd have the guts to stand in front of the room and teach yoga! Yet, the way yoga was taught at Kripalu Center and with such a heart focused and compassionate approach (Kripalu means compassion), it "taught itself" and I found myself wanting to surround myself with like minded people and share the loving gifts I had received from my teachers.
I began teaching lunchtime classes at a State agency, as well as teaching in several communtiy venues ( Princeton Arts Council, The Body Center, Princeton Academy of Martial Arts, my local synagogue, what is now NY Sports Club and local corporations). Each site had certain distractions, noise, cleanliness issues, room temperature, etc. In addition, I was lugging props like mats, blankets, straps, cushions, blocks around until I had about 4 large army/navy duffle bags full and finally realized that we needed a 'yoga home'!
I found that I had to resign my post with the State agency due to the toxic air quality in the building. I then devoted my time to teaching yoga in several community venues and soon founded the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health - www.princetonyoga.com (but that's another story!)
For awhile after that, I was able to come off all medication and had no asthma symptoms - and that was my story when I began teaching yoga: I found yoga and cured my asthma. Yet, in later years, after founding the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health and running a 'business', the stresses of the day caught up with me and some of my symptoms returned! Alas, my lungs are one place my body/being speak to me when I am out of balance.
However, the lessons remain and I give thanks to all who come at the end of each yoga class I teach because it gives me the opportunity to 'teach what I need to hear" on an ongoing basis. So, what is your "story" - what led you to yoga or another holistic or spiritual practice - or even to make a commitment to yourself through exercise or other lifestyle changes?
In peace, health and new beginnings,
Deborah
p.s. My mission for the Center:
To help you explore and enjoy the wonders of Yoga. Our goal is to create a safe, inviting environment in which to explore different paths to health, healing, and personal growth. PCYH also seeks to provide a forum for holistic professionals to share their work and be supported in right livelihood. Guided by principles of yoga expressed by all traditions, and through all its endeavors, PCYH strives to be a source and center of inspiration, information, products, and services to help meet the needs of people living and working in the greater Princeton community and beyond.
About Deborah Metzger:
Founder and director of the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health, Deborah Metzger, is a certified advanced Kripalu Yoga teacher and certified Dharmic Yoga Instructor and Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist, 500 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance, a licensed social worker and holds an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania. She has completed the Yoga of the Heart: Cardiac and Cancer Certification Training, and additional courses in Structural Yoga Therapy and Reiki. In addition, she has studied with Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program 7 Day Residential Retreat and the 9 Day Summer Intensive Practicum with Melissa Blacker and Florence Meleo and co-leads MBSR and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy programs at the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health. She is currently enrolled in the 2 year Hakomi mindfulness based psychotherapy training program. In addition to teaching throughout the area and at the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health, Deborah has led related workshops in corporate settings such as Johnson & Johnson, Merrill Lynch, L’Oreal, Merck, Summit Bank, Devry Institute, Princeton University, and State agencies, as well as local community groups, and has assisted programs at the Kripalu Center in Lenox, MA. She founded and served as the first president of Womanspace, Inc., a program for victims of domestic violence and served as Mental Health Planner and Liaison to the Department of Health for the State of New Jersey Division of Mental Health services and Mental Health Administrator for the County of Mercer in New Jersey.
No comments:
Post a Comment