The interior of Jeffrey Simons' yoga studio projects a sense of calm. It has two parts: a raised meditation platform and a space that allows for yoga poses with a full stretch. This dual function reflects Simons' approach to teaching yoga. He became a yoga instructor after experiencing physical and psychological trauma and says that practicing yoga and meditation has changed his life. It is his goal to pass this knowledge to his students.
In 1989, Simons held the position of a construction manager. "I was working in a pulp mill where I slipped and fell," he said. "I injured my lower back." Five years later, Simons was preparing an old shed on his property for demolition when the building collapsed on top of him. "I re-injured the same disk and that opened up emotional challenges. I suffered from chronic pain throughout my whole body that got worse over the years." Simons' situation deteriorated to the point where he couldn't use his legs properly, he said. "I felt depressed. I couldn't function. And I wasn't getting the right type of help."
His father intervened and Simons went to a chronic pain rehab program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "I attended an outpatient clinic where they took me off my meds. I was taught how to breathe and how to meditate and every afternoon, we did yoga. Those were the three key things."
Three weeks later, Simons was no longer walking with a cane and he was almost free of pain. He said, "I went from despair to moments when I was ready to dance. I came home a different person and continued to practice yoga." At the Mayo Clinic, it was suggested that Simons become a teacher. He said, "That's what I always wanted to be. At that point, yoga and teaching fit together."
Simons started on the path to earn his certification. "I did two programs. One with the South Okanagan Yoga Academy where I am working on the 500-hour training and the other with the Chopra Centre where I completed the seven spiritual laws of yoga teacher training. Both these schools focus on the spiritual as well as the physical," he said. "It became so easy and so clear, this is what I was meant to do."
In 2009, after getting his certificate from the Chopra Centre, Simons started teaching on Bowen Island. "I have students who came to me right from the beginning," he said. "Some of them have physical issues, for instance injuries, long-term chronic conditions or diabetes."
"I'm certified to teach the seven spiritual laws of yoga by Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. David Simon," Simons explained. "It incorporates the seven spiritual laws into yoga and emphasizes bringing the body and mind together."
Each law resonates with a different chakra. Simons said, "My personal favourite is the second law about giving and receiving. It is connected to the heart chakra and when it is open, love flows in and out. In that state, we can discover what community is all about."
Simons continues to study with the Chopra Centre and is working toward getting certification for teaching meditation. He said, "I'm also going to study Ayurveda with the goal of becoming an Ayurveda lifestyle consultant and eventually, an Aryurvedic healer. I will incorporate all this into my class." Simons often discusses lifestyle choices with his students and hopes Ayurveda will deepen his understanding. He said, "Ayurveda translates to longevity wisdom. It helps people live better."
"What I teach is a gentle form of hatha yoga, but it is very powerful at the same time," says Simons. He doesn't believe in fancy, heavy duty poses that lean towards ego rather than focusing on health and flexibility. In Simons' class, certain poses are repeated over and over. "They are critical to get your body into a healthy position," he said, "and I am careful to minimize any risk. I don't recommend headstands, handstands or shoulder stands. I just want to get people moving and breathing."
Even though he has some experienced yogis in his class, he calls it "yoga for the non-flexible." He added, "I certainly wasn't flexible when I started."
Simons also has students who take additional classes with other yoga instructors. "What I teach here complements other styles of yoga," he said. "The yoga is less physically challenging but more focused on the spiritual aspect."
For his students, he has two rules. "The first rule is: don't go into pain. If you move into a pose and it starts to hurt, don't go any further," Simons stretches to one side to show his pain threshold, then talks about rule number two. "Don't do anything that makes you uncomfortable. Some positions can bring back memories of physical or emotional discomfort. It's always ok to just opt out, lie down and listen."
"People often ask me what the hardest pose is," Simons says with a smile. "And I tell them it is Savasana, the relaxation pose because you have to completely let go. To me, yoga is not about balancing on one hand. It is about spiritual and physical well-being."
Simons practices six times a week in addition to his classes.
"I am very fortunate. I found my passion and my calling," he said. "I'm very much into [yoga and meditation] and consider it an honour that people come to my classes."
