Teresa Power Guides Students Through Law School

The Marquez Knolls Author Combines Her Love for Teaching and Yoga

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Yoga teacher, law school graduate, mother, Marquez Knolls resident, Palisadian-Post columnist and author Teresa Power has published another book—and this time, straying away from her ABCs of Yoga series, she is helping guide students to succeed at law school.

“The ABCs of Law School: Diary of a First Year Student” manuscript, completed in 1997, sat in her garage for 20 years. She wrote it while studying law at Pepperdine—which is also around the time she discovered yoga.

After graduating, Power practiced law for two years before getting married, having kids and, eventually, getting certified to teach yoga.

She taught a pilot program at St. Matthew’s Parish School for 10 years, teaching yoga to students in kindergarten and first grade, as well as faculty members.

“I kind of immersed myself in teaching that and that’s when I came up with the idea of the ‘ABCs of Yoga for Kids’ books,” Power explained. “There were not really books available for yoga, for kids particularly, so I was kind of the pioneer.”

Power shared that she always saw herself as a teacher, maybe even a law professor, but she put it on the back burner—so when she found the manuscript a year-and-a-half ago, she took the opportunity to publish, with a few tweaks to bring it up to date from a friend who still teaches at Pepperdine and a legal editor, a law school guide.

“I’m really good at simplifying complicated information and making it easy for people to understand,” Power shared. “That seems to be a knack I have and that’s what this book does.”

Power shared that her focus has grown and aged with her kids—when they were young, she taught yoga to kids and now that they are older, she is guiding their generation through law school.

“I really think it’s a great book for college-age students to read to figure out what law school is all about,” Power said. “Right now, a lot of people don’t want to go to law school because it’s really expensive with loans and they’re not coming out of law school getting those top jobs.”

Power shared that she hopes potential students can be reminded that there are many different jobs a graduate can do with a law degree, including entrepreneur and businessperson.

“Just know what they’re getting into because a lot of law students worry about the LSAT and the student loans, but they must realize what they’re getting into,” Power offered as advice to potential students. “Which is a whole different animal than what I think a lot of people think.”

She also shared that being out of the work force, she misses getting dressed up and going into an office.

“I have an office in my house—I’m usually wearing yoga clothes,” Power said. “I miss the camaraderie of people working together on projects.”

But yoga will always be there for her—each year she spearheads a Kids’  Yoga Day around the world. This year, 35,000 kids participated.

And next up, Power will focus on a series of books about yoga adventures with a little mouse, due out next March.

Those interested in reading the “ABCs of Law School” can find the guide in bookstores at Pepperdine, UCLA and USC, or order it from Amazon.

Pose of the Month: Triangle

I have been on hiatus from my monthly column as I was writing a new book, “The ABCs of Law School: Diary of a First Year Student,” which was recently published on May 1. It has a section on yoga for stress management, and I had fun doing Triangle pose (Trikonasana) with a Michael B. Scott, a fellow attorney in the Palisades.

Michael, a partner at Narvid Scott LLP, was a great sport doing this standing yoga posture in his business suit. Triangle pose can be practiced anywhere and anytime, and is a great posture to try at home or at the office to improve overall balance and stability. Besides the benefits listed below, this pose can also help reduce anxiety and stress.

Benefits of Triangle Pose:

Deep stretch for the hamstrings, groin and hips
Opens the chest and shoulders
Helps relieve lower back pain and stress
Aids sluggish digestion
Strengthens the core and legs

Modifications:

If you feel unsteady in the pose, place your back heel against a wall.
Only lower your hand as far down as your flexibility permits.
If you have medical conditions, talk to your doctor before practicing this or other yoga poses.

Instructions:

Start by standing with your feet hip-distance apart with your arms alongside your body. Take a few slow deep breaths in and out through your nose to center and calm yourself.

Next, step your feet wide apart, approximately four to five feet, making sure that your heels are aligned with each other.

Turn your right foot out 90 degrees so that your toes are pointing to the side, while pivoting your left foot slightly inwards.

Raise your arms to the side so that they are shoulder-height and parallel to the floor, with your palms facing down.

Inhale through your nose and on the exhale, lower your right hand toward your right shin or ankle, depending on your flexibility. At the same time lift up your left arm with your palm facing forward and fingertips reaching toward the sky.

Gently turn your head to gaze at your left thumb, or straight ahead if you have a neck injury.

Hold this pose for up to one minute. To come out of the posture, inhale through your nose as you lift your torso and lower your arms. Exhale through your nose as you turn to the left, reversing the position of your feet and repeating on the other side of your body.