“I believe that yoga and meditation are powerful tools that can improve the physical and mental well-being of the veteran community. I encourage everyone to try, even if they are not sure it is right for you.” -Keith
The YTT blog is back! This month we’re featuring Keith Muschek who joined us for a 200 hour intensive in the Dominican Republic one year ago, graduating in Nov 2022. Since then, Keith’s journey has continued and we caught up with him recently for Who Are They Today?
Meet: Keith Muschek and follw him on instagram: @keith_muschek
Can you reflect a bit on the format of your training and why it worked for you? And maybe also why/if it challenged you?
I liked that it was intensive. The idea of doing it every weekend did not sound appealing to me. Being able to fully immerse myself in the training each day was wonderful. The pacing of the classes was easy to follow and everything that was covered, was covered in detail. I learned a lot of information and practices that I still use to this day.
Where has your life taken you since then? What has changed?
I started attending school for Kinesiology and once I finish that degree I plan work towards one in Somatic Psychology. I started yoga after learning its great for trauma recovery and I am hoping to learn what is really happening internally during the asana and pranayama.
What has stayed the same?
I still have my daily yoga practice. Have not missed a day since I started.
What do you remember most from YTT?
The connections with the people that were there. Being fully immersed and integrating more than just the asana side of yoga into my every day. And the surfing was so fun.
What does an average day in your life look like currently?
Every morning I wake up and take my dogs for a walk. After I go to a 75 minute hot yoga class. I recently started school, so whenever I have in person class, I go to them. I have a yoga club at school I help run and lead a class on Mondays.
Are you teaching yoga or meditation? If yes, tell more!
I teach once a week at my local community college. There are a few students who were interested in yoga so we get to meet once a week and practice together. Might try and guide some meditation if people are interested. So far it is just the asana. They recently started a mentorship program at the studio I attend. You can sign up to lead a class and get feedback from patrons and teachers. It is geared to help learn what may need to be worked on as a teacher.
Are you practicing yoga or meditation? If yes, tell more!
I still have my daily practice. 2 and a half years and have not missed a day. I try to get some meditation in before and after class. I still struggle a bit with it, but it has gotten better.
Would you recommend this training to others? Why?
I recommend this to anyone who is trying to further get a deeper understanding of yoga, not just the physical part of it. Chrissy is a very informed teacher. She has a deep understanding of the subjects presented. She is calm, inviting, and overall gives a very welcomed feel from soon as I got to the program.
Could you speak to being a Veteran, if that had any role in you finding yoga and what you think yoga/meditation can bring to the military community at large…
After I left the Army, I was struggling with a number of issues from chronic pain, depression, and sense of meaning. I felt lost and disconnected to myself to everything around me. I was looking for something to help me heal and to find myself again. Finding yoga has helped me find a new sense of community and connection.
I found yoga in 2021 and began a daily practice. It has helped me reconnect with my body to develop a new found self-awareness and self-compassion. It has reduced my stress, anxiety, depression, pain, and improved my sleep. There are many different styles of yoga and meditation. Yoga can be specifically tailored to address the unique needs of veterans, some classes can focus on poses and breathing exercises that are known to be calming and grounding. After practicing for over a year I decided to take yoga teacher training. I was personally recommended to learn from Chrissy Lefavour at Rise + Vibe Yoga. She offers a military/veteran scholarship, among other types of scholarships, which helped me complete my training. I believe that yoga and meditation are powerful tools that can improve the physical and mental well-being of the veteran community. I encourage everyone to try, even if they are not sure it is right for you.
What's next? Any plans for 2024?
I plan to continue my education and hopefully expand my teaching to something more consistent.
You can spot Keith front and center, flying his drone pre-surf during a free day in the DR!