I am asked all the time…What is yoga?
The answer continues to evolve and take on many shapes for me. I don’t know if I will ever come to a definitive answer so long as I continue to practice, learn, and serve others. What I do know about yoga is that it has had profound effects on my life.
It began for me in 2010, and I had no idea where I was going when I first stepped on my mat. At first, it was the physical challenge that kept me doing it. It was hard, and I didn’t look forward to my scheduled yoga days. But eventually, something happened...it was as if there was a clearing of some sort, which at the time I was unable to explain it. But when I look back on it now, I realize that little transformations were happening every time I practiced yoga.
In 2014, I attended my first yoga teacher training. My love and interest began to grow, and I became certified in Aerial & Chair Yoga within that same year. My passion continued…but this time I was seeking something more traditional, more authentic, something within the roots of yoga. This brought me to Rishikesh, India, where I completed my Advanced Teacher Training. It was an incredible journey that led me to a new Universe of depth that I couldn’t have imagined. I then went on to learn an integration of many practices with UZIT, where Eastern modalities were brought to the Western hospitals, serving patients, families, and care givers. Yet more layers and depths within the heart.
So, what is Yoga for me today?
For me, yoga is a daily presence in Self, as much as it is in Community.
It is breath. It is awareness. It is stillness. It is discipline. It is the ability to nurture myself so that I may teach and serve others with honor and compassion. I’ve always loved Vinyasa Yoga, but I now equally share this love with Chair Yoga, Meditation, and the Restorative practices. The benefits and transformations of yoga are endless, and my style of teaching is to embrace all of what yoga has to offer, to teach for any body type, age, disability, and variations of immobility. I love the benefits of slow practices that foster transformation within all layers of the human and energetic being.