It’s not a crazy idea…

After twenty years in this ever-expanding world of yoga, I’ve learned a few lessons about teaching:

  • It doesn’t matter if you can or can’t do Adho Mukha Vrksasana.
  • It doesn’t matter if you don’t even know what pose that is.
  • It doesn’t matter what you look like, your size or shape.
  • It doesn’t matter what kind of fancy (or un-fancy) pants you wear.
  • It doesn’t matter if you’re fluent in Sanskrit or Spanish.

You can let the nagging doubts stop you. . .

doubt graphic

Or you can take the leap like I did…

I’m Shannon Caldwell, Texas gal, and passionate yoga teacher trainer. During my 18 years(!) as a yoga teacher and more than 10,000+ hours of teaching experience, I’ve seen yoga (and yoga training) transform, improve, and uplift lives (including my own).

In 1999, I was where you are. I loved yoga and wanted to teach, but I couldn’t do all the postures. I didn’t bend and flex like others. I’m vertically challenged and have T-rex arms. I looked nothing like my yoga teacher or any of the other teachers I’d met.

There were no yoga schools so I had to ask my teacher (someone I greatly admired) to mentor me. SCARE-Y. She probably wondered what the heck I could bring to the table as a teacher, but I surprised us both.

That 5 minutes of nervous discomfort (and telling my self-doubts to shove it) led to me to a life I could never have dreamed of…and I had plenty of people along the way telling me I was crazy.

No mud, no lotus

In 2002, I opened a yoga studio, but after a year of ownership, I was nearing burn-out. I was teaching 15 classes a week and handling all the responsibilities that come with running a business (marketing, paying bills, buying rolls of toilet paper).

I needed additional teachers, stat, and in 2003, Purple Lotus Yoga bloomed on the surface of the water.

I had 5 participants in my first teacher training. I truly thought after a couple of years, I’d have trained all the people who were interested in teaching yoga. I never imagined I’d still be doing what I love most 14 years later.

That simple need, so many years ago, put me on the path to YOU.

You’re ready for this!

  • If you want to connect with me on social media, I’m on Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest.
  • If you want a new career, or a second one, that fulfills you but you’re not close to a studio or training program, check out my online certification.

Random Fun Facts

I’m born and raised in Texas. Between my Southern roots and yoga background, I have a pretty laid-back approach to life (most of the time).

I love unsweet iced tea and it’s rare to see me without it. And that’s about the only thing unsweet I like.

Until 2011, yoga was my number one passion and writing my second, then a certain blond-haired, blue-eyed baby boy took the number one spot.

I like ellipses (those three little dots you see everywhere, not the exercise machine) and parentheses.

I believe yoga is more than black pants, green smoothies and pretzel poses. It might be the original coaching program.

I’m a walking billboard for “if I can do it, so can you.”

I’ve been called the girl-next-door and down-to-earth. I’ve never been super-bendy and I love cheeseburgers, chocolate chip cookies and coke.