I started my yoga journey in 2011. I was first convinced to try yoga by my significant other. I came from a sedentary lifestyle and was inflexible. Initially I was drawn most to Yin Yoga because I liked that it was accessible for all body types, with plenty of modifications offered to make the pose feel right in your body. I also enjoy the meditative aspect of Yin Yoga and the deep connection to breath. Overtime, my practice started to include the more active practice of Bikram Style yoga. I fell in love with Bikram Style practice in 2014 because I was able to connect the meditative and breath work qualities of Yin to a more active Yang practice. From then on, I’ve been hooked and practice Bikram style classes 4-5 times per week. Since I started practicing on a regular basis, I’ve noticed an increase in my mental focus and energy level, and an overall happier mood. I became more flexible over time and also lost 45 pounds.
I was trained to teach Bikram Style Hot Yoga by Jackie Roussos-Heintz at Arden Hot Yoga in 2017. I initially became interested in teacher training because I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of each posture in the series and how to make each posture more accessible to all body types, and to pass this knowledge on to my fellow yogis. We all have different body types and are at varying places in our yoga journey. My goal is to make Bikram Style yoga accessible to all. One of my focuses is to use modifications and props to help everyone get what they need from this practice. One of the things that makes me happiest is seeing yogis making progress in their personal yoga journeys. This can mean different things for each person such as increased strength and flexibility, improved mood, improved mental focus, or increased awareness of the body and breath.
