One Person is A Whole Universe

I always wanted to change the world.

When I was in high school, I was obsessed with studying people who had done something very important for humanity—individuals with significant purposes who left a lasting legacy in any field, from Bob Marley to Jean-Paul Sartre. I found their lives fascinating, and I aspired to be like them, to be different and make an impact on large crowds.

My time in college became a search for that great purpose. I studied journalism, then anthropology, and finally business. I even moved to a few countries in search of my voice. However, there was always something missing, and I never felt good enough, not like them.

A few years later, I discovered yoga for the first time and became a yoga teacher. Despite feeling I was a good teacher, initially, my classes were not full of students, which led me to doubt whether this path was meant for me.

I felt dissatisfied, disappointed.

I wasn’t changing the world.

Although this feeling was very strong, the love and connection I experienced with each class were so powerful that I decided to stay and continue my search there.

Until one day.

One day, I attended a Kirtan, a type of medicinal music concert. When we arrived, there were already about 30 attendees, but when it was time to start, only one person remained.

The main singer addressed the situation, revealing that one of his musicians, visibly concerned, had asked, “Taita Joel, should we cancel the event? There is only one person here.” In response, he said, “Why would we cancel it? Don’t you know that one person is a whole universe?”

That day, my search was transformed. I stopped looking for big crowds and began to focus on each individual I could reach with my classes. I started creating impactful sessions with a powerful message, regardless of how many students were in the shala.

Today, I am very happy with the number of people I have in a class. Sometimes there are very large crowds; other times, smaller groups. However, I always remind myself to focus on being present for every single person without worrying too much about the numbers.

Because today, I know that one person is a whole universe. Today, I understand the power we have when connecting with each being from the heart.

About Denise

Her journey in yoga began in 2016. At that time, she had a full-time job that did not fulfill her, and she was very disillusioned with life. She even remembers some mornings waking up wondering, “Is that all there is to life?”

That same year, she embarked on her first Yoga teacher training, which lasted a whole year! Initially, she didn't know what a teacher training entailed. She thought it was a spirituality course that would help her understand herself better. She was certain that everything she was learning there would provide her with tools to change her life.

After a few months of studying, she told herself, “This is it! I have found my mission in this life. I must share this knowledge with others!” At that moment, she not only became a yoga teacher but was also reborn.

Now, she is a full-time health coach, as well as a yoga and meditation teacher. Over the past seven years, she has studied with many great teachers in different subjects such as Carlos Tao, Omar Ananias, Noah Mckenna, Rae Indigo, Alex Issaev, and Meir Ezra.

From all of them, she finally learned that yoga is a personal journey in which you become more “you”; you return to being a spirit, to know your power. It's a journey to remember how powerful and perfect you already are—a journey that invites you to move authentically, shine inside and out, and claim your power to heal any wound.