Ms. Lei deng Cohen, or Laoshi as her students call her, lives by a powerful motto: “Live Inside Out.” For her, this phrase encapsulates the essence of finding peace and fulfillment by taking care of the self first.
“When we are comfortable with ourselves, we are comfortable with the world,” she said. It’s a lesson she not only embodies but shares with her students, encouraging them to strive for self-awareness and harmony.
Her life is a testament to this motto. Born during China’s revolutionary years, Ms. Cohen grew up in a small mountain town with her parents, two siblings, and a single room they all shared. Her childhood was marked by simplicity. “We had two sets of
clothing for many years,” she recalls. Despite these difficulties, the mountains became a sanctuary for her. Her mother took her there to read which helped spur her love for nature.
In 2005, Ms. Cohen immigrated to the United States, a transition that proved to be deeply challenging. “You can imagine, uprooted from one culture and immersed in a totally different one,” she says. I was not happy.”
It wasn’t until she discovered yoga two years later that her life began to transform. “Yoga saved my life,” she reveals. From her first teacher training, she realized that
yoga could help her overcome her depression and find more clarity. “It’s a life-transformational journey she shares, one that led her to pursue advanced certifications in yoga, meditation, and mindfulness.
Her yoga mat, a seemingly simple possession, is her most treasured. “It’s my sanctuary,” she says. Each morning, she begins her day with yoga and a sunrise walk, moments she describes as peaceful and harmonious. “That’s when my heart, soul, and mind are in one piece,” she says.
Through these practices, she has learned to embrace gratitude and better control her emotions. She especially noticed the growth she had achieved when she observed someone in a fit of anger. “I thought to myself, I used to be this angry. Now I can witness it, send compassion, and be grateful for the transformation yoga brought me,” she recalls.
For Ms. Cohen, her greatest loves are her two daughters, Laurie and Sabrina. They have shaped her into a more patient, giving, and gentle person. She speaks fondly of a moment with Sabrina, who at just six years old, offered wisdom beyond her years. After the passing of Ms. Cohen’s sister, a loss she calls her “lowest depth of misery,” Sabrina comforted her by saying, “Look at the sky, look at the earth. Your sister is there.” That profound insight helped ease her grief and reminded her of the importance
of finding strength in loss.
This connection to her family influences the way she approaches her role as a teacher. “I love my students like my own children. I guide them as I would my daughters, with compassion and understanding,” Ms. Cohen shares. She often encourages them to “dive in,” a phrase she frequently uses to push her students towards growth and maturity. Her teaching clearly extends beyond academics, fostering a classroom rooted in kindness and respect.
Writing for Ms. Cohen is both an aspiration and form of expression. “I have so many stories,” she says, reflecting on her journey from China to America. She hopes to one day share her experiences – both the challenges and the triumph – in a way that inspires others. She noted, “if you can write well you can speak well too.”
When asked about her greatest achievement, she doesn’t point to external accolades, but to inner peace. “When you work on yourself to reach your ‘ideal self,’ that’s the greatest achievement,” she says. Her ultimate goal, however, remains tied to her
family and where she grew up. She dreams of living in the mountains, splitting her time between China and the United States, reading and meditating in nature, just as she did as a child.
Ms. Cohen’s story is one of resilience and of the pursuit of harmony and peace. Through her journey, she hopes to inspire her students to live authentically, from the inside out.
