 I drifted in and out of practicing yoga for many years. Life gets busy, other things seem to take priority, you put everything else first and yourself last. Each time after I had taken a break from yoga, I would realize how much better I felt when I was practicing. These "breaks" from yoga became shorter and fewer. I began seriously practicing yoga in 1992. I used videos and practiced on my own in front of the tv in the living room. After a while, I felt like I needed to find a teacher to make sure that I was actually doing the postures correctly. Ironically, I found a yoga class through Parks & Rec at Udall Park, not realizing that 11 years later I would be teaching my own class there.
Yoga brings balance into my life, gives me freedom with a sense of control and gives me time for self study. I became a yoga teacher because I wanted to share the gift of yoga with others. I graduated from the Yoga Connection teacher training program in Tucson, AZ in 2002 with a 200 hour level certification. In 2006, I graduated from the International Yoga College, hosted at 7 Centers Yoga Arts, in Sedona, AZ with a 500 hour certification. I am registered with the Yoga Alliance as an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 500) and I am a member of the Arizona Yoga Association.
I am eternally grateful to my primary teachers, Priscilla Potter and Rama Jyoti Vernon. I am also thankful for the opportunity to have studied with Michele Schultz, a wonderful teacher of yoga and ayurveda. I continue to learn from, listen to and glean knowledge from many teachers from various paths of yoga. As my teacher, Rama, says. . . "As you study yoga, be like the bee that sips nectar from many flowers" .
In 2006, I made the journey to India! I studied yoga at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (KYM) in Chennai, India. The studies at the KYM included asana (postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), meditation, Sanskrit chants, and yoga chikitsa (yoga therapy). The trip to India to study yoga, experience the culture and connect with a deeper side of myself was a dream come true for me. Would I go back to India? Answer: Absolutely! :)
I have been studying at the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, NM since 2006, as well. My quest for knowledge about Ayurveda and Yoga guided me to this wonderful place. I can't say enough good things about the Ayurvedic Institute and Dr. Vasant Lad. I continue to study at the Institute taking week-long intensives and weekend seminars. |