Phyllis Sickerman

Phyllis Sickerman teaches visually impaired and blind high school students in NYC. She just turned sixty and has been practicing yoga at Om Sweet Om since the first week we opened our doors 5 ½ years ago.

She initially got into yoga in the 70’s but then for no reason stopped. About ten years ago she really started to miss it. She felt that she was losing “the power of being” she was not feeling “present in the moment” and knew it was time to begin again. She found a gentle class locally that suited her for a while, but in time she felt she wanted more. Then one day Phyllis happened upon an ad in a local paper for Om Sweet Om Yoga. That’s when it all began.

She walked in and loved it from the start.  Although she found her Thursday afternoon class with Lisa very challenging, she also felt empowered and inspired. In the beginning she felt the classes to be very long and wondered if she could make it through. But after about a year of practice she was surprised when class was over! She had built so much strength and endurance. In fact, as of last summer Phyllis has come to enjoy Ashtanga yoga.

Yoga has become a guiding force in Phyllis’ life. She feels the grace in every part of her life.

In her own teaching this year the theme for her students comes from the yoga sutras, 100% effort (abhyasa) doing your best and being satisfied with that (vairagya).  Her students really like it.

Emotionally Phyllis finds herself far more grounded. She related this scenario: Two years ago she had both parents in separate hospitals in Florida. Her mother in rehab after hip surgery and her father with brain cancer.  Phyllis says her yoga practice kept her sane. Her time on her mat offered her validation, comfort and renewed faith that things would again be okay. Her yoga also gave her the opportunity to release the pain of situation and let the tears flow. It was a beautiful gift.

Another gift Phyllis found from practicing at Om Sweet Om Yoga is the gift of community. She has made many friends at the studio and looks forward to seeing them in class. She loves it here and feels very honored and grateful to call this her yoga home. Phyllis plans to do the teacher training at Om Sweet Om Yoga after she retires in a year. She hopes to bring yoga to the senior and special needs community.