What TRUE leadership looks like
I fell in love with poetry when I was around twelve years old - that’s when I started writing. It was a cathartic way for me to express difficult emotions and to tell stories (to my journal) that I feared telling the world. Poetry gave words to the most tender feelings and experiences - It helped me heal.
Back then, the poetry I liked and wrote was dark. And so for a long time, I stopped writing poetry as I associated it with deep internal pain and confusion. In the past few years, I have re-embraced it (and am even - slowly - writing a poetry book) as I now see it as wisdom - a reminder that we are holy, whole, and wise. Like music, poetry can help us embody this remembering.
One of my absolute favorite poems is by a female poet named Erin Hanson. She writes...
There is freedom waiting for you
on the breezes of the sky
And you ask, "what if I fall?"
"Oh but my darling, what if you fly?"
Every time I read these words my heart sings…'This. This! THIS.’
(As my body can feel its wisdom).
That poem speaks to our human desire to know the depths of our own sovereignty.
It speaks to the most essential kind of freedom one can have, Internal FREEDOM.
And that kind of freedom is…everything. It's also the marker of true leadership.
By the greatest leaders with the boldest hearts, we are reminded of this again and again.
Nelson Mandela, a political prisoner for 27 years is well known for the sacrifices he made to make this world a better place. He is also known for leading with empathy, open-mindedness, and forgiveness.
"As I walked out the door to the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison."
The 14th Dalai Lama, at age 23, due to persecution by the Chinese government, had to flee Tibet. He disguised himself as a soldier, slipping through the crowds and beyond the borders of a home he’d never see again. He embarked on a dangerous journey to asylum, crossing the Himalayas on foot. He is a beloved leader showing us that strength is found in compassion, mindfulness, and selflessness.
"World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just the mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion."
Hellen Keller lived her life blind and deaf. She persevered despite the fact that she functioned without the things most of us take for granted, things such as being able to see a sunrise or hear laughter. She went on to become a prolific author and lecturer teaching us of courage, determination, and the beauty of life no matter our circumstances.
"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing at all."
These qualities (forgiveness, goodwill, compassion, courage) are all too often overlooked on our journey towards success, happiness, and well-being. These leaders knew that going inward and cultivating internal freedom was not a luxury, it was a necessity.
And what they all knew was that this path towards true sovereignty and leadership would take...
going deeper. support. practice.
What I know in my bones is this...
It's worth all the depth, all the vulnerability, and all the time you put into cultivating it.
You want peace of mind...internal freedom is where it will be found.
You want to feel care-free and light-hearted...internal freedom is where it will be found.
You want to feel worthy...internal freedom is where it will be found.
You want to touch the center of unconditional love...internal freedom is where it will be found.
You want to bring your full self to the world...internal freedom is where it will be found.
When I curated BBOUNDLESS: a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training + Mindfulness-Based Leadership Program THIS is what fueled it.
This training will be of the highest quality - QUALITY is everything to me in a training.
Here are some of the tools for cultivating internal freedom that we’ll be exploring in-depth over this 4.5 month journey:
• Pedagogy of Yoga (the method and practice of teaching), including trauma-informed
approaches - you will be taught HOW to facilitate and hold space with skill, grace, and
creativity.
• Confidence building and communication skill enhancement/ Public Speaking for yoga
teachers
• The Business of Yoga (with Amber’s background in leadership, alongside 16+ years as a freelancer and solopreneur in the wellness industry, she has loads of skills and knowledge to share here. Many of her YTT graduates have gone on to teach within weeks after graduation).
• The art of sequencing and enhancements (Amber is also a trained Thai Massage
Bodyworker, so learning about hands on assists from her is very educational)
• The art of YOU as a teacher/creator/facilitator
• Shadow work, Energy work, Breathwork (beyond the basics!)
• Mantra + Mudra
• Fascia + Functional Movement
• Ayurveda
And all of this will be steeped in powerful ritual, play, and purpose.
TESTIMONIALS:
"Four years of therapy couldn’t teach me what Amber did in four months - that embodiment is the key, and you can’t think your way into it (or out of it). I have deepened not only my asana practice, but also my self-trust and worth, my spiritual devotion, and even my personal relationships.This is a holistic program that provides holistic results. I had no idea how far outside of my comfort zone a Yoga Teacher Training would take me, or how far-reaching the results would be. Amber is a healer. She’s a bodyworker, an energy mover, a poet whose words will stop you in your tracks. Each of the modalities that Amber has woven through Boundless contributed, bit by bit, to my full surrender to the beauty of the universe. So, yeah, it’s about a lot more than perfecting downward-facing dog.”- RACHEL H. (CLASS OF 2022)
“My experience participating in Amber’s YTT was life-changing! Someone once told me to make sure you trust, respect and enjoy the teaching style of the person that will be leading your training, so as soon as Amber announced the Boundless YTT, I knew it would be the perfect fit. She is incredibly knowledgeable and created a safe space for us to learn and grow together in community. We covered so much more than just the physical yoga postures, including public speaking, leadership, and finding our voice as a teacher. All of these things contributed to building my confidence to audition and land my first teaching gig within a week of graduating! I’m so grateful for this experience and can’t wait to share everything I’ve learned with my students!”
- CANDI B. (CLASS OF 2022)
“Amber’s Boundless YTT will bring you deeper into the practice of yoga and deeper into your whole self. Amber incorporates rituals and experiences throughout the teacher training that allows her students to dive deep into themselves to emerge and grow as authentic, heart-centered leaders. Personally, this YTT brought about such insight and development, pushing me to pursue the aligned life I desire as a leader, yoga teacher, and human. This experience has given me the courage to move forward on my journey and pursue grad school. This teacher training has brought so much depth and meaning to my life. I am so grateful to Amber for curating this tremendous experience for her students.” - CHALAN C. (CLASS OF 2022)
To Bringing Our Full Selves, to the World…Together,
