motocross

1. Tell me about your personal journey with yoga. Why is it important to you?:

I am wife and mother of two beautifully spirited children. With a background in being an experienced ER nurse of 11 years. I began her yoga journey as a student as a way of a healthy life style and stress relief. For the past eight years I have practiced yoga with a focus in Vinyassa yoga. In 2014 my family and I relocated abroad to Madrid Spain. This is where I truly deepened my practice and love for yoga. It became more of a life style versus an exercise routine. My yoga practice helped guide me through some of the most stressful and challenging moments of my life, secondary to moving out of my comfort zone.(language,friends,family and way of life)

2. When did you first begin teaching yoga? What made you transition into a leadership position?:

During my years as an ER nurse, I saw many preventable disease processes. I wanted to help educate and teach people how to help prevent these “preventable” diseases!

Thanks to the realization that yoga is mindfulness and the way to live (found after we relocated abroad)

And my newly found enlightenment!

I decided to pay it forward and give back to others what took me years to realize.

Yoga works!

My current focus since then is to help teach and educate people on how to incorporate yoga and stress reduction as a way of a preventative measure to ensure a happy healthy life.

3. What makes your classes unique?:

My main goal is to give back to my community and share the knowledge I have gained over the course of my ER nursing career and 8 year yoga practice. My class is unique because I bring together both worlds of western medicine(anatomy knowledge) and yoga philosophy(8 limbs) therefore helping to educate and keep my students from doing self harm to their body’s through a safe guided yoga practice. And the pathology as to why it’s beneficial.

4. How does music benefit your guidance in a yoga class?: Music feeds the soul! Have you ever used a candle light and placed a music speaker near it? The flame dances and changes with the beat of the music!

Our body’s respond in a similar way!

Music touches us on an inner level, not just mental.

The heartbeat is just one example, the rate of the heart will change in accordance to the rate of music. The more calm the more relaxed our body and slower the heartbeat. The faster style music increases our heartbeat giving us extra energy to move to a powerful flow!

Music is the way we see life, it’s the signing of the birds, the crashing of the waves, the sound of the wind!

Music feeds our soul!

5. Tell me about your next event and where we can follow you online:

My next endeavor is starting my own yoga brand.

As seen on my Instagram I will offer yoga towels made from 40% recycled plastic with unique ocean graphics (sea turtles) by a renowned photographer and marine conservationists, with 10% of all proceeds going to various marine life conservations and sea turtle sanctuaries.

I hope to giveback to our precious marine animals that are suffering from our poor choices to litter and pollute our oceans with deadly plastics.

Attention Yogis and Yoginis: Are you interested in doing a 5Q Interview?  Fill out your unique responses here.

1. Tell me about your personal journey with yoga. Why is it important to you?:

Seated meditation was our first journey toward mindfulness, it was a difficult practice for us to sit still and enjoy each passing moment. Why? Because we hate sitting still!! Being half Japanese, the practice of mindfulness has always been a part of our lives…thanks, Dad! But so has our high levels of energy! Yes, we are also half Italian…Thanks, mom!

So when the practice of yoga fell into our laps, it was the perfect match! Moving meditation! Connecting deeply with each muscle in your body while being in the moment, and enjoying it! We have to admit, we were a little bit intimidated by the practice of yoga. We knew our bodies weren’t exactly pretzels like all the photos and videos we’ve seen, but we kept at it! Feeling better and better after each experience. As we took more classes and slowly discovered new aspects of our mind and how we can connect with our bodies, we fell in love!

2. When did you first begin teaching yoga? What made you transition into a leadership position?:

We still consider ourselves beginner yogis, and are stretching our way towards becoming certified instructors. Although we aren’t leaders yet, we both wanted to share our journey along the way! We hope to connect with and hopefully inspire others to get into the yoga groove and feel okay with their practice no matter where they’re at! We still flop around and fall in new poses but boy have we learned a lot!

3. What makes your classes unique?:

Not having a mat that we could truly connect with, we found a small piece of guilt in our practice. How could we feel at peace if we aren’t using a yoga mat inline with our beliefs? Our deep belief is that each decision we make casts a vote for what we support + has a direct impact on our planet and those around us.

Slipping and sliding on a conventional (chemical-based) rubber mat, we began searching for new eco-friendly alternatives. Few options were available, and when we finally stumbled upon the idea of a natural cork mat, that was it! We set off on a mission to bring cork yoga mats to our yoga family. Things spiraled out from there, and we started getting such amazing feedback that we couldn’t stop! There were too many benefits, and it all made too much sense! A yoga mat made of tree bark?! Great! But guess what, cork actually provides exceptional grip (even more so when you sweat) + cork is a naturally self-cleaning, anti-bacterial material! Not to mention it is super soft and very durable. Just like Birkenstock shoes 🙂

4. How does music benefit your guidance in a yoga class?:

Along with our mat, music was another experience that elevated our practice. This is especially evident during chaotic days when our practice is limited to 10 or 20-minute sessions. Having a regular playlist has built a nice structure around our practice. Creating an easy routine to get right into a quiet + mindful place. If you find your mind drifting frequently during practice, music is a beautiful addition to quiet the mind of all your thoughts and experiences during the day, week or even month.

5. Tell me about your next event and where we can follow you online:

Give us a follow on our social media accounts + stay tuned for our next giveaway!

Attention Yogis and Yoginis: Are you interested in doing a 5Q Interview?  Fill out your unique responses here.

1. Tell me about your personal journey with yoga. Why is it important to you?

Yoga found me! I was living in New York City and it was winter time when I saw this hot yoga studio sign on the corner of the street. It was cold and snowy and hot yoga sounded delightful. I stepped into my first class a few days later and that was the beginning of my journey. I left feeling like a weight was lifted off me. I was hooked with how yoga made me feel.

2. When did you first begin teaching yoga? What made you transition into a leadership position?

I began teaching in 2007. After my 200 hr. Training I just knew I had to share the gift of yoga to all!

3.What makes your classes unique?:

I make my classes accessible to all ages and abilities, from ages 3 and up!

4. How does music benefit your guidance in a yoga class?

Music sets the rhythm and the energy of the room and creates connection between me and my students.

5. Tell me about your next event and where we can follow you online.

Please join us at Mello Yoga Saturday September 8, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. for LIVE music with DTO!!

My vision is to create a space for the WHOLE family, where we feel safe to explore the body and mind without fear or judgment. Hope to see you there!

Visit my website for class, workshop, and event offerings! ~ https://www.melloyoga.org

And, Follow Mello Yoga on Instagram at @melloyoga!

Attention Yogis and Yoginis: Are you interested in doing a 5Q Interview?  Fill out your unique responses here.

1. Tell me about your personal journey with yoga. Why is it important to you?:

Yoga came into my life in what seemed at the time to be a random moment- but ended up being exactly what I needed 11 years ago. It was like I had been driving with a fogged windshield, and yoga was the hand that wiped it clear.
Yoga is important to me because it helps me show up as my best. The best I can be for those I love, those I meet, those I impact, and most importantly the best I can be for myself.

2. When did you first begin teaching yoga? What made you transition into a leadership position?:

I started teaching yoga in 2013, again by accident. I enrolled in a teacher training program because I wanted an answer to, “What next?” The answer to that question ended up being a whole new amazing life.

3. What makes your classes unique?:

I make a sincere effort to provide a yoga class that is accessible in any body. Moving through layers and edges and working towards postures in a way that no matter where you decide to pause, you feel like a masterpiece.

4. How does music benefit your guidance in a yoga class?:

Music is a big part of my classes. Whether it’s yin, prenatal, or a powerful Vinyasa class, music is another layer of experience for myself and my students. I want the music to accentuate the feelings that come up when you move your physical body or shift your mental state in a certain way.

5. Tell me about your next event and where we can follow you online:

You can find me each week at South County CorePower Yoga studios, as well as every Saturday morning at Sojourn Healing Collective.

My instagram, @mamatownsley is a little peak into yoga, my family life, and my work as a Birth Doula.

Attention Yogis and Yoginis: Are you interested in doing a 5Q Interview?  Fill out your unique responses here.

1. Tell me about your personal journey with yoga. Why is it important to you?:

If you would have told me at age 18 when I was practicing yoga in my livingroom, on a VHS tape my roommate bought, that I’d be an internationally celebrated yoga teacher traveling in luxury, inspiring 10’s of thousand of people ages 1-85, I’d say you were crazy.

Truth be told, my story wasn’t always so flowery. I struggled with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, was burning the flame at both ends, and was overweight. I regularly found ways to distract myself with drugs and alcohol, numbing my pain and kept myself from soul’s calling. I felt empty inside. I knew since I was a little girl that my life was made for greatness but could not seem to find my purpose here on Earth. I invested so much of myself in work, building other people’s dreams that my body and health was declining and I was often sick. My stress levels were to the max and I had no idea what I should do but desperately wanted my life to change.

Breath by breath and practice by practice, my life began to transform. From being atheist, I began to understand and feel what god was, not who. I began to see shifts all around me, from physical, to mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. My life became barely recognizable and I became happy and have fallen deeply in love with myself.

The journey has not been easy. It takes courage to grow, but I did it and am still looking fear in the face, and am my own greatest support of loving care. How could I not share this beauty and wisdom with the world?

2. When did you first begin teaching yoga? What made you transition into a leadership position?:

I began teaching yoga to friends in Chicago in 2011, when I decided that I was going to leave everything behind and move to LA to become a yoga teacher. After being in LA for a year, I lived in India for a deep dive into my spiritual path of yoga and meditation in 2013, after already being a practioner for 12 years. After I came back from India I dedicated myself to teaching yoga, becoming a yogipreneur. 

Some people are natural born leaders, I have the blessing of being one of those people. Leading classes, workshops, retreats, mentoring and speaking is where I feel best. I am very aware that being a teacher/speaker/mentor comes with great responsibility, transperancy, and most importantly vulnerability. It is very clear to me that the abuse, pain, and hardships I have endured are not just tools for my personal growth, I came here to heal myself in order to serve and heal others. My life is not for me, I am here serve the earth and humanity and to be a part of our paradigm shift, elevating millions of humans and the collective consciousness.

3. What makes your classes unique?:

As a gifted intuitive and healer, I use many healing modalities in my classes. For me it is inate to physically touch people so I do a lot of hands on adjustments and massage with essential oils. I utilize sound healing tools as well as my voice and mantras.

My teachings are spiritually rooted and I am a divine channel. Often I don’t recall the things I say during classes as spirit moves through my voice. My mission is to make sure people know that the practice of asana is just scratching the surface of what yoga is, we move from physical into nonphysical. Meditationis a non-negotiable part of my classes.

Clear, detailed alignment cues, personalized attention, and making the asana accessible for all bodies is what I am also know for. I feel very strongly that having a sense of humor is imparative for the healing work we do. I lovingly inspire all of my students back to the seat of the heart and to move forward from that space.

4. How does music benefit your guidance in a yoga class?:

Sound current is a deeply healing tool that can be found in many forms. Music is a great love of my life and while I don’t play music in my Vinyasa and Hatha classes, I relay on it during my yin and Restorative classes.

5. Tell me about your next event and where we can follow you online:

I am very excited to where these up and coming events!

February 11,
Yoga and Sound Healing Workshop
Mandala Santa Monica

March 3
Daana Blue Venice Beach Cleanup
Yoga, Surf, Serve

April 8-15
Tulum Luxury Yoga Retreat

June 21-25
Genius Loci Fest
Yoga, Surf, Music

July 8-16
St. Lucia Luxury Yoga Retreat

September 8-15
Bali Birthday Yoga and Surf Retreat

www.maryhaberski.com
To get get on the waitlist to be first to signup, Email healedspaces@gmail.com

Attention Yogis and Yoginis: Are you interested in doing a 5Q Interview?  Fill out your unique responses here.

1. Tell me about your personal journey with yoga. Why is it important to you?:

Real yoga is what you can’t see, its about how you feel. Yoga allows me to create space to bring awareness to my thoughts and emotions. It allows me to be in the present moment. I become mindful about how my body, mind, and spirit feels. Yoga is a time for healing, this space gives me time to release any negative emotions that I have been trying to deny or hold on to. Yoga allows me to be vulnerable, to simply feel whatever it is that I am feeling in the present moment. Yoga creates space for harmony, positivity, and love.

My first time taking a class was in summer of 2016 and from the moment I started I fell in love. I fell in love with moving my body and using my breath as a tool to be in the present moment. I would go to different studios practicing all kinds of different styles, my favorite one was hot yoga. Eventually I wanted to start spreading my practice so I went back to the first studio I ever took a class at and got my 200 hour certification. A week after I graduated I got my first job teaching yoga and its been an amazing journey ever since then. I have seen myself grow so much and I cant wait to see where life takes me.

2. When did you first begin teaching yoga? What made you transition into a leadership position?:

I first began teaching yoga at this studio called Malu Yoga and Fitness; they had just had their grand opening. I got this position a week after graduation and my first class was a power vinyasa. Ever since then I have only seen myself grow with the yoga community and I now teach at three different studios in Orlando. I will forever be a student and hope to spread more positivity into everyones lives.

3. What makes your classes unique?:

I give my students a safe loving space to be vulnerable with themselves and to heal. I teach all different styles of yoga from yin to yang but through out all of them I try to inspirational and spiritual. I want my students to always come home to a place where they can challenge themselves or just connect to their true self. Inner peace is within all of us and thats what connects us all.

4. How does music benefit your guidance in a yoga class?:

I LOVE music. Music and yoga both provide a space for healing and connection. I love creating spiritual experience in my classes and music helps me reach divinity. Lyrics and sounds can create energy, awareness, and harmony in everyones practice. Music connects us all because we are all one.

5. Tell me about your next event and where we can follow you online.:

I have a lot coming this year for 2018. I will be teaching a three week arm balance workshop in January at Malu Yoga and Fitness and I will also be teaching a Gentle Vinyasa at the dirtybird campout festival in St.Cloud, Florida.

Attention Yogis and Yoginis: Are you interested in doing a 5Q Interview?  Fill out your unique responses here.

1. Tell me about your personal journey with yoga. Why is it important to you?:

Through yoga and meditation I managed to heal my broken body. It was all thanks to a powerlifting session gone wrong. I managed to drop a 250pound barbell, from overhead height, directly on top of my left foot. I shattered nearly every structurally significant bone, and was told the bones were beyond surgical repair, and that I would never be able to run or move the same way I could before.

I was studying to become a personal trainer, and naturally, the experience shook me to my core. For a long time I was depressed. Eventually, I decided I would try to improve, and without having to look very hard, I was introduced to yoga and meditation.

Within 12 months of that injury, with intense dedication and effort, I finished a sprint marathon and was back to near preinjury conditions.

2. When did you first begin teaching yoga? What made you transition into a leadership position?:

I am told (and not just by my mom) that I’ve always held the role of a leader; but as far as teaching goes, after having experienced the healing power of yoga first hand, I decided to make it my life’s purpose to spread these teachings far and wide.

3. What makes your classes unique?:

In truth, I rarely teach typical classes. I focus on leading highly specialized sessions that are designed, not to necessarily be a nice practice, but rather to make you a better practitioner.

Having said that, my understanding of anatomy and movement physiology, plus my experience with deeper, more authentic yoga practices, you can say my sessions are a happy marriage of modern and traditional.

I aim to help people enhance their physical potential; but at the same time, show them the truest, deepest, most incredible version of themselves.

4. How does music benefit your guidance in a yoga class?:

On those rare occasions when I lead actual yoga classes, I like to play something sattvic, ideally some tracks that appeal to modern populations; but still pulling inspiration from more classical roots. Maybe some Indian undertones and mantras mixed in.

However to be honest, I rarely play music in my programs. Again, the sessions I typically lead are highly specialized, and often times adding music can be a bit too much for the mind to process. Ambient background music at most, only if I see that the students are a little anxious or restless.

5. Tell me about your next event and where we can follow you online:

Throughout 2018 I am leading YTT’s, retreats and workshops around the world. Check out my website for specific programs

www.danielrama.com

Attention Yogis and Yoginis: Are you interested in doing a 5Q Interview?  Fill out your unique responses here.

1. Tell me about your personal journey with yoga. Why is it important to you?:

I found yoga at my lowest point in life. It saves me from depression addiction and self sabotage. It’s my mission to share the healing powers of yoga with the world.

2. When did you first begin teaching yoga? What made you transition into a leadership position?:

The Barkan Method. I’ve been teaching for 15 years, so it was a natural progression of growth. I assisted in his trainings, then made one of my own.

3. What makes your classes unique?:

I talk about the things that others might not want to talk about. I’m not afraid to speak my truth. I’m authentic, challenging, yet compassionate.

4. How does music benefit your guidance in a yoga class?:

I like it all. Beats, words, – I want you to laugh dance and cry all in one!

5. Tell me about your next event and where we can follow you online:

I teach trainings and classes all year long at The Yoga Joint! www.theyogajoint.com

Attention Yogis and Yoginis: Are you interested in doing a 5Q Interview? Fill out your unique responses here.

1. Tell me about your personal journey with yoga. Why is it important to you?:

Having struggled with an eating disorder as a teenager, I connect with yoga because it allows me to love my body exactly as it is. One of my greatest goals as an instructor is to help instill that same sense of peace in others. Yoga brings me back down to Earth; it grounds me. It puts things in perspective. It encourages me to continually learn, evolve and connect. It challenges me; it gives me purpose. Now that I’m a full-time instructor, I am exposed to an incredible community of yogis, friends and colleagues. There is so much of my journey left, and I’m eager about the future of my practice!

2. When did you first begin teaching yoga? What made you transition into a leadership position?:

My passion for yoga took root when I moved to Seattle in 2015 and desperately wanted to make friends. Upon earning my RYT 200 certificate, I began teaching and continued to fall even more in love with the practice and the people I met along the way. I am now back in my home state of California, living in Orange County and always seeking to connect with the yoga community both locally and online.

3. What makes your classes unique?:

I have a very upbeat teaching style and love a good jam! I always incorporate isolated core work, and I love to challenge my students with an inversion or arm balance. There’s nothing better than watching a student nail a crow pose or headstand when they walked into class having never considered it was possible.

4. How does music benefit your guidance in a yoga class?:

Music provides a soothing touch. It helps set the tone of the environment. It serves as a guide – matching rhythm with movement.

5. Tell me about your next event and where we can follow you online:

You can find me on Instagram at @heatherparksyoga, or you can check out my website at www.heatherparksyoga.com.

I teach at several studios in Orange County, CA – interested students are encouraged to DM me on Instagram for more information!

Attention Yogis and Yoginis: Are you interested in doing a 5Q Interview?  Fill out your unique responses here.

I have always practiced yoga and it brings me back to who I really am over and over again. What is so surprising to me is that I don’t get tired or bored, every practice is different as I connect to who I really am my heart grows. I think that there’s no limit to the amount of expansion that we can hold and yoga touches on that. Yoga is that infinite possibility the more we are all about.

2. When did you first begin teaching yoga? What made you transition into a leadership position?:

I started teaching in 1997 because I knew that the question,what do you love? Translated more specifically into DO what you love.

I was utterly and completely in love with my yoga practice so there was no question I had to be a teacher. I’ve been providing for myself through yoga for 20 years. I celebrate that.

3. What makes your classes unique?:

It’s interesting over the years of teaching yoga, of course things change, I have grown, developing new ideas of what’s important. This has altered, in a positive way, my yoga teaching. I now encourage more self-awareness within students by using words that ignite a deeper listening, an intimacy to get to know that here body. It is not my yoga they are practicing it’s theirs. To discover what works correct for them in their practice in their body is the key.

4. How does music benefit your guidance in a yoga class?:

When I teach I’m not really tuned in to the music to be honest. I am so focused on teaching and my attention is on my students. But I know that my playlist (I use Spotify )always get appreciated. I love using Music to set the tone of the class.

5. Tell me about your next event and where we can follow you online:

We are so excited to present Healing Touch Vinyasa teacher training at the Little Yoga Studio in the spring. More information at tahgroen.com/curriculum

Attention Yogis and Yoginis: Are you interested in doing a 5Q Interview?  Fill out your unique responses here.