Trane West: How I Got Started
This is my yoga story. Enjoy.

Years ago, in a not so distant city called Seattle, I was a bit of what some might call a "gym bunny".
I worked out at a gym 5-7 days a week, 2 hours a day. No joke. Yes, I was beefier, and no I did not
do yoga. In fact, if you would have suggested yoga to me back then, I would have laughed in your
face and told you it was one of the girliest things you could do. (Sorry lady friends, no offense, that
was the me then.) I had friends ask me to take classes with them, I even had people tell me that I
would probably be great at teaching it, but my response was always the same: NO WAY!

Why did I have so much resistance to yoga? It's simple really. Back in those days, my life was very
different. I had what some might call a "lifestyle", and it didn't involve things of yogic nature. I
was living in a world of vanity mixed with the complexity of my sexuality and societal views on my
lifestyle "choices." Bottom line, I had a really tough time being me. The last thing I wanted or
needed at the time was someone chanting at me, teaching me the ways of enlightenment, or
sucking me into some sort of cult lifestyle. These were the things I thought; sad but true. Like I
said, I was a very different person with so much conflict inside. At this same period in life I had
decided to leave my faith in religion; I grew up in the Roman Catholic church.

Fast forward to L.A., the true city of dreams. Where magic happens everywhere you turn, whether
you like it or not. I moved to L.A. in '05 to pursue the industry. Yes, I was an actor, and I can say
this, because I legitimately worked. Things were actually going well, I was landing parts and
meeting people, but something seemed "off". And then one day, as if the Universe spoke to me
directly, I heard a voice that said "What about Yoga?" I kid you not. I fought the little voice but it
grew louder and more persistent, until one day I struck a deal with it. I told it that if I met
someone who was either an instructor, or had their own studio, I would give it a go. I was giving it
3 days. On the 3rd day, a regular customer of mine walked through the door, and I felt compelled
to talk to her for the first time ever. When I asked her what her occupation was, she said:
"I am a Yoga Instructor, and I have my own studio."

From there, I agreed to come work for her part time in exchange for classes. The very first
moment I stepped foot in that studio, I knew I wanted to teach. Without ever taking a class, I knew
what I wanted to do and what I was willing to give to be a part of it all. The journey as you can see
was long, and although my path had changed to lesser know territories, I now can see what others
saw in me so long ago. I love yoga, I love teaching, but most of all, I love the people brought into
my life through yoga.


That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.
Where You Can Find Me:
Redefine...
"I used to be afraid of the dark;
afraid of what I'd find. In the dark I
found myself and saw the light."
T.W.
::Western Philosophy ::
"I used to be afraid of the dark;
afraid of what I'd find. In the dark I
found myself and saw the light."
T.W.

I am in San Francisco and can be
found at Flow Studios in Pacific
Heights.  If you would like to work
together one on one, please feel
free to contact me:

trane@tranewest.com
afraid of what I'd find. In the dark I
found myself and saw the light."
T.W.