[Interview with a Yoga Instructor] From Living for Others to Living for Myself: The Path to Yoga and Life Discovered in Yakushima

“I have always put myself last.”

During her time as a corporate employee, she had a strong sense of responsibility and constantly tried to meet the expectations of those around her.
Before she knew it, her mind and body were worn out.
When she suddenly stopped to reflect, what came to Yuri's mind was
a vague anxiety, wondering, “Is it okay to keep going like this?”
That was when she decided to take a solo trip to Yakushima.

What she encountered there was beautiful nature and a world she had never known before: “yoga.” When she realized that yoga, which she had thought was just stretching or exercise, was actually a “way of life,” something began to stir within Yuri.

To stop comparing herself to others and to cherish herself.
Having learned for the first time through yoga the importance of “being honest with one's own feelings,” she is now active mainly in Shizuoka Prefecture with the concept of “yoga that allows you to be kind to yourself.”

This is the story of a woman who wore herself out, and how she transitioned from living for others to living for herself, carefully living in the present.

<Yuri's Instagram>

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“Is it okay to keep going like this?” Feeling my mind and body wearing out

—First, could you tell us about your background?

Yuri: After graduating from university, I worked in customer service for three years, and then in office administration for about four years. Although I changed jobs, I had always worked as a corporate employee.

—How did you feel during your time as a corporate employee?

Yuri: Although I felt a sense of fulfillment, my anxiety about the future was growing. Especially in my administrative role, the team was small, so responsibilities increased, and the days were busy. As I was chased by work, the vague feeling of unease, “Is it okay to keep going like this?” became stronger.

Yoga was recommended to me twice in Yakushima; I was drawn to a way of life that cherishes oneself

—In the midst of that, you decided to take a solo trip to Yakushima.

Yuri: Yes, at the time, painful events in my private life had piled up, and I was quite depressed. I was so desperate that I even thought, “Maybe my life is over...” At that time, I wanted to reset myself and thought of a solo trip, but I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't even think about where to go. I happened to see a feature on Yakushima on TV and felt intuitively, “I have to go there.”

—What left an impression on you in Yakushima?

Yuri: It was that great nature. The scenery, of course, but the feeling of the air and the forest, which seemed to sharpen my five senses, remains strongly with me. Meeting small wild monkeys, listening to the chirping of birds... It was an experience where, beyond the visible beauty, placing myself in nature made my senses return.

—An experience where your senses returned. I heard you encountered “yoga” on that trip?

Yuri: I wanted to fully enjoy the nature there, so I went into the forest with a guide specializing in forest bathing. At that time, the guide suddenly asked me, “Have you ever done yoga?” I thought, “Yoga?” but at that time, I just went back to the guesthouse.
The guesthouse had a warm atmosphere run by a married couple, and they would talk to me at dinner time. When they asked, “Why did you come to Yakushima?” and I told them I was tired of life, the couple also said, “Why don't you try yoga?” and even introduced me to an instructor. Since I was told twice in one day, I became strangely curious, and after finishing my solo trip, I took the plunge and participated in a workshop by the yoga instructor they introduced.

—How was it, actually participating in the workshop?

Yuri: I was surprised. I had this image of "yoga equals stretching and fitness," but once I participated, the content touched on how to approach one's heart and how to spend each day, and I realized that "yoga is something deep and broad." It wasn't just about moving the body; it was also a time to face myself, and I thought, "This might be what I was looking for."

—What aspects of yoga's philosophy and way of life touched your heart?

Yuri: It is the essence of yoga: "Do not compare yourself to others, and cherish yourself." I myself had always been concerned with the evaluations of others and the eyes of those around me, so I was very attracted to the "way of life that cherishes oneself." I immediately decided I wanted to become a yoga instructor.

The only one to compare yourself to is who you were yesterday; knowing your body leads to the heart.

—Did you have any hesitation or anxiety about becoming a yoga instructor?

Yuri: Not at all. Since I was a yoga beginner, I thought it wouldn't be an easy path, but my feeling was, "You won't know unless you try."

—Since you started as a beginner, were there any difficulties in the yoga instructor training course?

Yuri: My class was full of people with flexible bodies, such as professional dancers and ballerinas, so I was overwhelmed. I was a yoga beginner and my body was stiff, so every time a difficult pose came up, I felt like "I'm the only one who can't do it," and I often felt depressed.

—How did you overcome that at the time?

Yuri: Even though I learned in yoga to "not compare myself to others" and to "face myself," I realized I had fallen into the exact opposite way of thinking. From then on, I started to be conscious of comparing myself to "the previous me" rather than those around me. If I grow a little bit each time, that is fine. It was a big deal to be able to think that way.

—After such learning, what kind of changes occurred in you, Yuri?

Yuri: The biggest thing is that I became able to "cherish myself." Before, I didn't have the opportunity to know the state of my body and heart deeply, and I often prioritized others and pushed myself too hard. Since I started yoga, I realized that first, knowing my body and condition, and that it also affects my heart and way of thinking, is important. By increasing the opportunities to face myself, I have become able to acknowledge and care for myself.

—What does "cherishing yourself" mean specifically?

: For example, if I think during a yoga lesson, "My physical condition isn't very good today," I rest without pushing myself. If I feel, "I'm good at this pose," I honestly enjoy that feeling. I realized how important the small accumulation of knowing my own state is. Also, before I met yoga, I was sharing the few drops of water in my cup with someone else, and I was always parched. But now, I am conscious of filling my cup with plenty of water. By doing so, I have room in my heart, and I can naturally be kind to others. I have become able to spend every day with a much healthier feeling than before.

No matter what words hurt me, I want to continue to bloom without losing sight of myself.

—Through yoga, are there any words or ways of thinking that remain in your heart?

Yuri: The words "Live like a lotus." This was something I learned suddenly during the training course, and it left a very strong impression on me. The lotus only grows in muddy water. No matter how much mud is splashed on it, its petals repel the water and bloom beautifully. It means to have the strength and flexibility to bloom with dignity, without being covered in dirt or suffering. Since encountering these words, I have come to think, "No matter what environment I am in, and no matter what words are thrown at me, I want to live while cherishing myself like a lotus." Even if there are painful events or negative emotions, I want to have the strength to maintain my own outline rather than being swallowed by them.

—When we hear "yoga," the image of poses is inevitably strong, but what is the essence of yoga that you value?

Yuri: Certainly, when it comes to yoga, the image of taking poses is strong. In fact, moving the body to gain flexibility and improve physical strength is also a wonderful effect. However, the essence of yoga is not exercise, but adjusting the state of the heart. Actually, yoga has eight stages as shown in the figure, and taking poses is just one of them.

Yoga is originally something that values the idea of "how to face the heart and body," and while taking poses and adjusting breathing, it aims for "mental stability = Samadhi" (the "deep meditative state" in the figure). I have come to want to value "knowing myself, carefully observing and adjusting my heart and body" more than whether I can do the poses well.

More casually, more freely, making yoga a daily option.

—As a yoga instructor from now on, what do you want to convey?

: First of all, I want to convey that "yoga is not just for special people." I myself was worried about my body being stiff, but in reality, that is not a problem. I want people who are usually busy and tend to put themselves last, and people who have anxiety about their body or heart, to have time to face themselves through yoga.

—What kind of activities do you want to do in the future?Yuri

: I want to open online classes so that more people can experience yoga. I am thinking of lessons that people who have difficulty going out or people who are raising children can take at home. I want to lower the hurdle for participation and create an environment where each person's pace can be valued. In the future, I also want to challenge myself with English yoga lessons. Since meditation and yoga are enjoyed as familiar things overseas, I hope that the preconception that it is "difficult" will be removed in Japan as well, and that people will be able to incorporate it freely.

—Finally, could you share a message for those who want to take a step toward something new but are afraid of change?

Yuri: I am still on my own journey, but looking back now, I think the best approach is to 'just try it if you're unsure.' If you move forward and realize it's not for you, it's perfectly fine to turn back. You won't know if something suits you until you try it, so I hope you won't be afraid of change and will take that first step. Since discovering yoga, I have come to understand how important it is to cherish yourself. Change takes courage, but if the feeling of 'I want to try this' arises, that is your true self speaking. If you get stuck, you can always go back or look for new options. I would be happy if more people felt comfortable taking that first step.

<Yuri's Instagram>

Editor's Note

After the interview, I found myself thinking many times about what it truly means to 'cherish yourself.'

Every word Yuri spoke was not polished or rehearsed, but born from genuine experience. The time spent running to meet others' expectations, the forest scenery looked upon after a sudden pause, the moment of comparing oneself to who they were yesterday—these are surely the 'pauses' and 're-evaluations' that exist in everyone's life.

Yoga can be started anywhere, by anyone, without needing to be someone special. I hope that Yuri's story, which made me feel this way, will gently nudge the back of someone who is feeling somewhere deep down that they want to change.