5Q Interview @GeliPaz
5Q Interview @GeliPaz!
1.) Tell me about your personal journey with yoga. Why is it important to you?
I cried after taking my first yoga class. It was so hard and I wanted to be so much further along on my spiritual path than I was! Since day one yoga has been a mirror for me. It always shows me where I am and invites me to love and embrace exactly where that is. The practice is so sacred and empowering to me – it feels so good to spend time steeping in my own body and listening to what it needs. It resets my mind, heals my body and opens my heart. So much beauty!
2.) When did you first begin teaching yoga? What made you transition into a leadership position?
I’ve spent most of my life Listening to the life that wants to live through me and surrendering to where I’m guided. After backpacking around South America for 10+ months I came back to San Diego to figure out my next steps in December 2012. Teaching yoga was a dream I had that I thought of as something I’d do off into the future, later in life. Universe made it clear to me it wasn’t for later, it was for Now. I got my 200 hour with Mosaic starting in January 2013 and haven’t looked back since. Teaching has been one of the biggest gifts life has given me. Teaching at Hapa Yoga, in particular, has been absolutely transformative in the building block foundations it has given me and the community it’s expanded me into. Hapa is home and I am so grateful to all of the opportunities I’ve had along the way to share this practice. I’ve taught yoga in the U.S.A, Indonesia, Cambodia and Japan.
3.) What makes your classes unique?
I’m often told how safe and comfortable I make people feel in class. This always makes me happy to hear as I truly welcome all bodies and beings to the mat. I ask students to tune into their own body and follow their intuition with curiosity and empowerment; if what they need to do looks different than what my voice is saying or different from what their neighbor is doing I always invite them to do it! It is so beautiful to hold space for students to explore, discover and express themselves organically. I am such an advocate of authentic self-expression in all forms. I welcome smiles, tears and everything in between both on and off the mat <3
Another unique element I offer is that I oftentimes incorporate healing energy work into my gentle and yin classes! I am a reiki and thetahealing practitioner and love to merge all of these powerful modalities.
4.) How does music benefit your guidance in a yoga class?
Music is a key element to the tone that is set in class! I spend time each week preparing music to weave into class. I think music can help us tap into our practice on an even deeper level.
5.) Tell me about your next event and where we can follow you online.
I am sharing some spoken word poetry on April 7th at The Point from 7-9pm! The event is being put on by Sojourn Grace Collective who will be raising money for YALLA, a San Diego non profit organization that helps remove the social and economic barriers that face refugee and immigrant youth! The Sojourn Grace Collective is a beautiful community and I’m so excited to be a part of this evening of poetry, music, community and art. You can learn more about this even via their FB invite – simply search Sojo Slam benefitting YALLA and it should pop up as a public event!
CONNECT WITH ANGELICA:
You can follow me on IG @Gelipaz.
Feel free to connect via Facebook as well!
https://www.facebook.com/angelica.barrera.75
(you can also search my first and last name)
E-mail address: angelica.p.barrera@gmail.com)
I love to write and share some of my work on my blog — journeywithangelica.wordpress.com.
6. BONUS QUESTION: What else does the world need to know about you?
I am a reiki practitioner and thetahealing practitioner! I am also a doula and have had the pleasure of assisting 12 laboring mama’s bring their beautiful babies into the world. I love holding space for others and helping facilitate growth and healing. Writing was and is one of my first loves, as is travel. I’ve visited over 20+ countries so far and have plans to continue trotting the globe for the rest of my life 🙂 I think one of my biggest missions here on this earth is to LOVE. Love, love and more love. Everybody. All of it.
My first time teaching: I was heading to a 6am class to take it, but showed up to a note on the door that it had been canceled! I hadn’t noticed the sign until I was already at the door unlocking the studio — I worked there and thought the instructor just hasn’t showed up yet so I figured I’d open the doors and get it all rolling. When I realized no one was coming and saw all the students waiting in the parking lot I knew I really didn’t have a choice, the time was now and there was no excuse other than my own fear and hesitation. I taught the class and dove in! We probably held downward facing dog way longer than desirable but hey, you gotta start somewhere! lol
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