5Q interview with Ashley Sun @ashley_sun_yoga

1. Tell me about your personal journey with yoga. Why is it important to you? Yoga has laid the foundation for me to flourish. I see it as the structure, discipline, supportive masculine energy that allows my feminine, free-flowing spirit to dance and create. It has gifted me the clear perspective to embody and embrace the emergence of realizing my totality. The teachings and wisdom of yoga offer graceful integration of my human and spiritual self. I have the ability to cope with life’s challenges, as well as understand nature’s cycles. My joy and indescribable feeling of gratitude is rooted in yoga, which has most significantly guided me to a true sense of self. This intimate and loving relationship that I continue to cultivate is infinite, forever inspiring, and the motivation I begin each day with.

2. When did you first begin teaching yoga? What made you transition into a leadership position? Yoga resonated deeply since the moment I began practicing. It was complete soul recognition, a natural feeling, and a sense of home. When you love something you want to share it and thankfully I had the courage and opportunity to do just that. Every time I teach there is a new feeling of exhilaration, which keeps me coming back for more. It is a wonderful and fulfilling privilege to share the sacred teachings and wisdom of the yoga lineage.

3. What makes your classes unique? For me it is about keeping it real. I encourage students to be honest with themselves, notice EVERYTHING! Awareness is liberation. When we tune in to our emotions and the sensations in our bodies, offering our breath into the space of tension, and simply allow ourselves to have the experience without judgement, we learn to acknowledge our true essence, a state of Being. I am all about embracing our vulnerabilities, shadow self, and giving attention to these “darker” aspects.
I often tell stories of my recent realizations because I only feel confident to speak from my experience- this is what I know to be true. No longer do I seek to be “enlightened,” practicing yoga has no guarantees. What I do strive for is authentic creative expression and to be in total alignment with my integrity. My intention is for all people who attend my class leave INSPIRED and EMPOWERED. Together we create the sacred space for profound heart-centered transformation. We heal ourselves and Mama Gaia.

4. How does music benefit your guidance in a yoga class? Music is a sacred tool. The resonance, vibrations, and frequencies have extraordinary potential to heal. Music in my class facilitates the movement of energy; it provides a cohesive experience for everyone participating. Sound creates new pathways that we may otherwise not access. In the practice of Kundalini Yoga we chant mantra to invoke that which we are calling forth. Music has the ability to transcend and release inhibitions- we give the body freedom to move and the mind softens. Music is truly a magical phenomena.

5. Tell me about your next event and where we can follow you online. “Women’s Circle: the Art of Being a Woman” will be held at the end of July (date tbd). This sacred space offers women an opportunity to tap into their Infinite Creativity and offer their experience to the web of divine sisterhood.

In addition, I teach a weekly Kundalini Yoga class Tuesday mornings, which always offers a fun and fresh perspective. A schedule and more detailed information can be found at www.ashleysunyoga.com.

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5Q interview with Carlos Bastidas @Thoughtsfromlos

1. Tell me about your personal journey with yoga. Why is it important to you? I found yoga when I was dealing with a back injury that just wouldnt get better. After trying everything I could think of someone recommended yoga and the rest is history. Even though my back still has problems here and there, through the practice of yoga I have been able to heal my back enough to be able to still enjoy the sports I love and live the active lifestyle that was taken from me for a period of time in my early twenties. So the importance of my practice lies within my ability to continue to do the activities I love on a daily basis!

2. When did you first begin teaching yoga? What made you transition into a leadership position? I started teaching yoga 5 years ago while trying to transition into a new career. My practice was daily and was growing very strong so I thought I may be able to share that with others. Little did I know how difficult actually leading a class can be, but through lots of hard work and dedication to the craft it became second nature to me. There really aren’t a lot of “jobs” I enjoy doing but I know that for me to be happy I must do something that affects people in a positive way.

3. What makes your classes unique? The uniqueness of my class comes in the creativity of how we flow and challenge of calming the mind while breaking through physical limitations.

Click on image below to play video.

#YouInspireMe 🎥⭐️: @thoughtsfromlos 💪🏻 Carlos Bastidas is a powerful yogi who uses creativity and rhythm to help yoga students break through limitations & challenges! 💥 He credits yoga for healing his back and allowing him to live an active lifestyle. 🏃🏻🔆 What a warrior! Learn more about Carlos on dtomusic.com/blog 👈🏼 ❤️🔱 SONG: Love Warrior feat. Kiyoshi and Krista Richards by @DTOmusic. Download or stream on iTunes, Spotify, and more! 🎧 “Raising the vibrations of the planet through art and music.” ~ @BuddhaMusicGroup 🎶 🎨 10% of CD sales benefit nutrition & yoga for kids. ~ @PlantPoweredKids 🌻

A post shared by DTO – Dave Kemp (@dtomusic) on Jun 19, 2017 at 6:30pm PDT

4. How does music benefit your guidance in a yoga class? Music is key to keeping energy and providing rythem to my classes. I generally teach powerful classes so the music helps keep the intensity, while distracting the mind from outside thoughts.

5. Tell me about your next event and where we can follow you online.
Online you can find me on Instagram @thoughtsfromlos
And on Facebook at www.facebook.com/souloflos

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5Q interview with Rachel Peters @easeful_living

1. Tell me about your personal journey with yoga. Why is it important to you? I did my first sun salutations on a backpacking trip my freshman year of college. It was the first time I ever carried my life on my back and the first time I felt so FULL with so little. Yoga changed the way I viewed my body and as a result how I took care of it. Yoga led me to meditation which led me to Ayurveda which has led me to where I am now – always inspired by nature.

2. When did you first begin teaching yoga? What made you transition into a leadership position?I started teaching 2001. I was asked to sub my teachers class. I was soooo nervous. Years later she would ask me to take over her yoga studio.

3. What makes your classes unique? I weave my own life experience, with yoga philosophy that is grounded in every day living with how and why we might move our breath with our bodies. It’s different every time.

4. How does music benefit your guidance in a yoga class? I honestly use very little music in my classes – I guess I’m old school like that. And truly, I’d be more open to live music I suppose than a hip mix.

5. Tell me about your next event and where we can follow you online. I offer online courses that take yoga beyond the mat. The Easeful Living Community doors will open again later in the summer and the EMBODY Ease course starts September 10. I’ll also be offering a 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training starting in January in northern Arizona.

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Honor the Divine Feminine with DTO and Hemalayaa at Shakti Fest 2017

Introduction

Music festivals have had a strong presence in American popular culture since the 1960s. 450,000 people attended Woodstock in August of 1969, signaling a shift in the cultural milieu. It was a coming of age for a generation of individuals fed up with mass consumption, war, and their own underrepresentation in society. Festivals, communal gatherings that explore elements of culture, have long been a part of our cultural milieu, dating back to Stonehenge.

Festivals celebrating elements of culture occur annually in the United States and elsewhere. These festivals offer a unique opportunity to showcase elements of a culture which its people are most enamored with, offering a unique chance to communally and communicatively construct and experience those elements. In the same vain, countercultural festivals, like the now well-known Woodstock, construct a culture apart from dominant society, simultaneously constructing those elements which they believe should be celebrated and critiquing the larger society for its absence of those elements.
Since their inception, these festivals have exploded in popularity. This led to a crisis of identity, as festivals have become ingratiated in mainstream society, a society which they purport to reject the ideology of.

In a lot of ways, the popularization of festivals has led to a depredation of the mission statement of festival culture and a fissure being sent straight through the middle of a tight-knit community of bohemians, artists, and thinkers (Delistraty, 2014). Because of this, festivals have begun to split, as small factions of ambitious individuals from larger festivals, such as Burning Man, split and begin their own smaller festivals, such as Desert Hearts.

These smaller festivals offer a unique opportunity for reflection. The community can simultaneously pause, reflect, look at its construction, and accept those elements which it values and reject those which it does not. These festivals, known as transformational festivals, allow an opportunity to transform the community and the individuals who participate in it.

Emergence of Transformational Festivals

The term “transformational festival” is a relatively new development, entering into popularity this past decade. The term was popularized by Jeet-Kei Leung, founder of the Bloom Series, in a widely viewed TEDx talk he gave on the import of the festival scene and culture (Schmidt, 2011). The term is used to describe a growing number of festivals popular in North America that incorporate elements of yoga, meditation, music, and co-creation to construct their atmosphere.

Transformational festivals, such as Bhakti Fest, Lightning in a Bottle, and Enchanted Forest, are challenging the traditionally conceptualized aesthetic of music, art, and intellectual consumption. Festival attendees are not rendered passive consumers of their environment. Rather, they are called upon to co-construct communities founded upon an ethos of spontaneity, creativity, and active engagement. For example, Lighting in a Bottle suggests, “you have a unique opportunity to stumble upon many experiences outside of the musical stages that are full of lively, participatory fun, and shenanigans.”

The interactive areas at LIB truly allow you to lose yourself in an entire universe of play” (“About Us,” 2015). Intimate festivals with immersive environments allow individuals to freely express their self, a self that may be disparate from one presented outside the festival (Allison, 2014). Transformational individuals encourage alternative conceptualizations of self through ecstatic communities that privilege immersion in creativity, interaction, and decommodification. These elements encourage a focus on the self as the foci of experience whilst presenting it as subjective and liminal.

Co-creation involves festival attendees becoming actively engaged with their environment, encouraging them to accept a role in developing it. Lines between festival designers, musicians, and artists are purposely blurred to immerse participants in a sense of community that is integral to the experience of transformational festivals. Each attendee is called upon as an active participant in the construction of the culture of a given festival.

I am excited to announce my participation in three of the largest transformational festivals, Shakti Fest, Lightning in a Bottle, and Emerge yoga festival. Each of these festivals contributes their unique imprint on transformational festival culture and our society at large. This post is the first in a three-part series introducing my performances at each of these festivals. I am humbled to highlight my performance at Shakti Fest 2017 alongside the glowing goddess, Hemalayaa.

First Stop on the Nameless Energy Tour 2017

My first stop will be next weekend in Joshua Tree at Shakti Fest. Shakti Fest is an annual festival that is one third of a larger series of festivals. Bhakti Fest and Bhakti Fest West are the other two. Together, these festivals honor the sacred masculine and feminine, celebrating the balance and totality of our divinity. This year, Shakti Fest is being celebrated from May 12-May 14, 2017 against the backdrop of the bucolic Joshua Tree National Park.

Shakti Fest and the Divine Feminine

According to their website, Shakti Fest is “the premier yoga, sacred music, and personal growth festival in the country celebrating the divine feminine.” Shakti Fest combines the sacred and devotional paths of yoga, Kirtan, and meditation while placing an emphasis on celebrating the Divine Feminine. To do this, Shakti Fest creates a drug and alcohol free atmosphere at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center. According to its website, the Joshua Tree Retreat Center is the largest retreat center in the Western United States.

The center, designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright and his son, Lloyd, features the sleek, angular architectural designs the pair is famous for. The center features open spaces, sacred locations for meditation and yoga, and blends seamlessly with the natural world surrounding it, invoking a sense of balance with nature that permeates all visitors of the space. Each year since 2011, devotees of the paths of yoga, Kirtan, and meditation have flocked to the space to learn and grow alongside the leading teachers, visionaries, and musicians of this community. I am honored to perform this year alongside world-renowned teacher, speaker, and community organizer, Hemalayaa.

Hemalayaa + DTO at Shakti Fest 2017

Hemalayaa is a Canadian-born yoga teacher who has traveled the world empowering seekers with her unique blend of yoga, dance, vocalization techniques with empowerment experiences. Hemalayaa’s practices have allowed thousands globally to enter cathartic spaces and release that which no longer serves. In addition to her classes, Hemalayaa hosts her own television show, has created fitness DVDs, appeared on Ellen and Today, and has written for leading publications including Origin, Yoga Journal, LA Times, NY Times, and Shape in addition to maintaining her own blog.

Our class at will fuse Hemalayaa’s dynamic postures, free-form dance, positive affirmations, and energizing breathwork while moving through the soundscapes created by my album, Nameless Energy, which was specifically crafted for a 60-minute yoga sequence. “Within the sequence, we also strive to recycle our negative thoughts and transcend them – then and there—into powerful intentions to take back to our everyday lives,” explains Hemalayaa. “Our yoga-meets-music experience will invigorate and energize the brilliance of your purpose, so come turn it up!”

We will be performing on May 13 and 14th from 3:30PM-5:00PM each day. Come and turn it up!

5Q Interview @MoniqueSaundersYoga

1. What does yoga mean to you?

Yoga is my moving meditation. A time for me to go inside and be one with everything that I am….after years of holding my cards too close to my heart, yoga gave me permission to open my heart and be receptive to all that life has to offer. To understand that life is a journey of experiences, ones that can be fleeting or filled with great joy. But each experience is an opportunity to grow, learn and become stronger than the moment before. “Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.” ~The Bhagavad Gita

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

I began teaching 10 years ago for Yoga Tropics. Having been a school teacher for 17 years prior, the transition into teaching yoga was seamless. The only difference being that now I would be guiding all levels, all kinds of people rather than the 10 and 11 year olds I had been teaching writing, reading and math too:) I have always been passionate about teaching and fitness. Both are a huge part of who I am. The transition was very natural and if the universe opened the doors up for me to unite both together.

3. What makes your classes unique?

I am very passionate and creative with each and every class that I teach. My flows are unique in style and are appropriate for all levels. I provide each of my students with an environment where they feel safe, loved and have the freedom to express themselves in their way. I work to create a special connection with my students; by touch, knowing them by name or encouraging them to be the best version of themselves that they can be. My gift is to inspire, not intimidate. To encourage and promote an opportunity for my students to grow and learn about themselves through this journey of life. Yoga being the platform to connect mind, body, and spirit.

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

Music adds flavor, texture, and energy to my classes. Depending on the type of class I am going to teach will dictate the type of music I draw from. Music should be sound that my students can get lost and absorbed in. Music, breath put to flow is time to journey inward.

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

At the current moment, I do not have new events. We will begin our 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training Intensive in July and you can follow us at @playcarlsbad

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

5Q Interview @Hemalayaa

1. Tell us about yourself and your introduction to yoga.

My dad is a true yogi, and a house-holder and I was guided by him to practice meditation, devotion and prayer as way to calm body and mind.

My father did some light yoga asana when I was growing up. He said “you must wait until you’re older to do the poses such as headstand”, which he loved to do.

That perked my interest.

When I got into my own yoga asana practice I felt the personal healing benefits and my life changed. I was reborn and I opened up places that my therapist (and other healers) couldn’t reach, and I experienced much relief and release in my first few years of practice. In the first few years of my practice, I chose to be in my own space, and learned asana from a book that one of my best friends gave me. He said he felt that yoga would be good for me…he was right.

BONUS ~ the heavy trauma and drama began clearing (continues to clear)…I could see the “light” (within myself), and got in touch with how I wanted to inspire others to be in their clearest, most radiant and empowered selves.

But first I had to continue healing myself, and realized it doesn’t end…we just go deeper, and get clearer.

I discovered the dynamic mergence of Yoga and Dance together as a potent transformational practice and it ALL went to another level of awakening, healing and inspiration from there.

It is important for me to keep myself (and my clients/students) awake, inspired and LOVING life ~ This is our birthright…my belief is that we just need effective practices to remind us and take us there again and again…that’s what I’m motivated to do!

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

I first began teaching by accident. I was apprenticing my ayurvedic doctor who wanted me to begin sharing some simple practices with clients in his clinic. As I was in service for the mission of this holistic way of life, I agreed to teaching.

When I moved to Los Angeles in 2002, I was a Canadian living in the states, and I wanted to be of service even though I couldn’t officially “work” in this country, I wanted to share and contribute so I began offering classes….

Being a creative person as well as an advocate for fitness/yoga, I began the creation of Yoga/Dance and transformational flourishes in my classes. I felt the great benefit in my life, in my body and with my connections. My connection with myself, family and friends changed into one of sweet intimacy and love.

This is when I began saying “I love you to everyone” HAHA, but for real. 🙂 I felt that LOVE was the “easy” part…because we are LOVE…so what are we going to do with it once we recognize that?

I got clear that teaching, making DVD’s and creating workshops for women was what I am destined to do – my first workshop ever was called “The KamaSutra Dance Journey” and was a great success…I felt aligned with sharing the power of being fully embodied as a Divine Feminine: Powerful, Sensual, Creative, Mission-Driven AND Inspired!

And so here I am, a guide, coach, and healer for women to be in their most radiant, authentic and loving selves.

I want to live like this every day and so I teach, and so I live, and so I teach…it’s a little bit selfish 😉

3. What makes your classes unique?

My classes offer a full embodied, life-enhancing experience. You will get some of the same moves plus dance, various exercises to get you out of your mind and into your heart-center AND you’ll receive a ‘life-altering, perspective-upgrade’. I can’t tell you what we do, as it is always different but the final results are the same: we come home to our true self and a deep connection with each other…our human truth. I’m hesitant to say this, because it’s a little new-agey to make a declaration like this…but heck, I’ll say it: In my classes, you will have a unique spiritual awakening that will bring you in touch with a deep part of you that wants to be seen again and again…

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

Music helps open up places that have no words, and releases old ways of thinking, and doing: bringing us into a child-wisdom dancing with present magnificence. Music helps open places that need healing but no amount of words can do the job…sometimes it takes sound vibration (the most powerful vibration) to bring the true light to shine.

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

Dude, you’re everywhere! DTO in DA house!!

…and I am excited about working with you at the various festivals that we are rocking! Shakti Fest, LIB, Emerge Festival, Bhakti Fest…

Here’s our experience:

Hemalayaa + DTO: Yoga ~ Dance ~ Live Music! Hemalayaa combines yoga and dance to enhance your optimal health, radiant-self, and spiritual connection.

Hemalayaa incorporates dynamic postures, free-form dance, positive affirmations, and energizing breath-work. Let’s recycle our negative thoughts and transcend them into powerful intentions for our lives.

DTO of Buddha Music Group will amplify your senses through the frequencies of his album Nameless Energy.

DTO will inspire your experience into a vibration-raising awakening for your soul.

Our experience will invigorate and energize the brilliance of your purpose.

<a href="http://download.dtomusic.com/album/infinite-energy">Infinite Energy by DTO</a>

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

5Q Interview @SaraMartinThomas

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

My yoga journey began in 2005. I was a personal trainer needing more physically and spiritually. A friend introduced me to Bikram Yoga. I fell in love w/ how the practice made me feel physically and emotionally. I wanted more. Then my same friend introduced me to Core Power Yoga. I fell in love w/ the style of breath w/ movement, MUSIC, & the community. Teaching and taking yoga is my therapy, my church, my physical workout, my time w/ community.

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

I signed up for a Power Vinyasa 200hr teacher training at CPY PL in 2006. I was hired to teach after. I loved it so much I wanted to be a part of everything. I was asked to assist in Teacher Trainings in 2007 which lead to Co-leading the Vinyasa trainings at CPY in PL until 2008. I helped put together and have Co-Lead the 200hr Vinyasa Training at Sculpt Fusion Yoga since 2009.

3. What makes your classes unique?

I am very passionate about all aspects of my classes. Depending on the time of day the lighting is important. MUSIC, I love playing DJ. I love making playlists. I have a degree in Kinesiology. I am aware of alignment and always conscious of balance and flow in class w/ counter poses. I keep it light and fun. I like to make people laugh. I always end class w/ a quote or two that resonates w/ me knowing it will resonate w/ others because we are all the same at the core!

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

Music is everything in class! I put as much time into thinking about the sequence of my class as I do the playlist. The right music can make or break a class. I try to put a little bit of every genre on a playlist. Paying attention to who’s feeling what in class from their movements and facial expressions. Asking my students what they want to hear. Sometimes I will literally add a song to my playlist in the middle of class!

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

I teach mainly at Sculpt Fusion Yoga, two classes a week at Yoga Six in 4S Ranch, ResMed, for the Del Mar WaterPolo Club Team and the Cathedral Catholic HS Boys Varsity WaterPolo Team.

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

5Q Interview @VinyasaArts

5Q Interview @VinyasaArts Yoga Studio – Andy & Tamara Totman

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

Andy and Tamara Totman have been teaching yoga in North County San Diego, CA. for over 17 years. It’s our love of this kind and compassionate practice that gives us our desire to spread yoga to as many people as we can. It fills our hearts to see people as they become healthier, stronger, more open and calmer.

Our long lasting friendship turned into love. We married in Aug. 2013, opened Vinyasa Arts Yoga Studio in Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Ca. in 2014.

Our style of yoga is challenging yet always light hearted. We believe yoga is to challenge the mind through the body, creating both strength and calmness in the body and mind.

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

Andy Totman, co-creator and owner of Vinyasa Arts with his wife Tamara Lafferty-Totman, first fell in love with yoga in 2005. Since then he has combined his personal yoga practice with his commitment to the Martial Arts. He has been practicing Wushu (KungFu), TiChi and Chi Gong since 2007. With his commitment to excellence, high standards, belief in his students, and great sense of humor, Andy guides his students in a challenging, yet accessible, Vinyasa flow. His classes maximizes every minute building the strength needed to reach your goals. He actively works the room providing adjustments, ensuring safety, and proper alignment. His Vinyasa flow includes fun transitions, arm balances, handstands, flexibility, and mindful meditation. Andy’s teaching makes the seemingly “impossible” possible as you’ll leave his classes with a strong body and a clear mind.

Tamara Lafferty-Totman, (ERYT 500), Co-creator and owner of Vinyasa Arts with her husband Andy Totman, has taught yoga in San Diego County for nearly 16 years. Her style of teaching is lighthearted, versatile and creative. Her background is in Ashtanga Yoga and the style she teaches now is Vinyasa Flow yoga level 2/3 and 3/4 (a vinyasa flow that includes arm balances and handstands). Tamara’s classes are a great fusion of powerful Vinyasa Flow with an entrancing mix of contemporary music. Her classes are physically challenging; however, proper alignment, modifications and plenty of hands-on adjustments are essential in her classes. The focal point is exclusively on alignment, movement with breath, core, strength and balance…. and of course a sense of humor!

3. What makes your classes unique?

Finding creativity, uniqueness is all about our style! We Believe yoga is an art form and should be expressed uniquely! individually and with compassion and passion!

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

Conducting classes with live music is by far the best! Plus an added benefit is when you can do it outside in the beautiful San Diego weather! But either way, music has played an extremely vital role in all of our classes. We will spend hours upon hours creating the perfect playlist for each class based on what is the mood/vibe/intent that we want to create for a specific class.

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

Celebrating our grand opening three years ago! We also have our 300 hour yoga teacher training beginning in August! However, one of the biggest hurdles we’ve ever had to accomplish is getting through Andy being diagnosed with cancer for the fourth time in the last three years. We really believe that the love of the yoga community in San Diego, our passion for yoga, and a yoga lifestyle is the reason why Andy still here on this planet! We will continue to teach, run the studio and spread the love of yoga while fighting cancer! We strongly believe that yoga AND community is a Healer of Mind Body and Soul.

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

5Q Interview @Om-anda

5Q Interview @Om-anda!

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

Amanda is a motivated yogi who found her way on her mat in an effort to stay fit and strong but stayed for the boundless transformational powers of yoga. Growing up as a competitive dancer, she loved being challenged and active but didn’t love the competitive nature of the dance community. After trying a Sculpt class upon moving to San Diego in 2013 she was instantly hooked. The combination of the powerful mental acuity and the physical challenge of yoga, created the perfect balance allowing her to still her mind, breath, and spirit. Amanda has since completed the RYT-200 as well as Yoga Sculpt training programs. She believes the beauty of yoga is in the journey and motivates her students to always appreciate wherever they are, not only in their practice, but in all aspects of life.

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

I first began teaching yoga in November of 2013. I made the transition into teaching because I was inspired to share the countless benefits that I had experienced in my own personal practice with others. I wanted to create an experience for fellow yogis that left them feeling not only empowered and strong, but inspired to seek more on a spiritual level. I teach not only in hopes that my student’s build physical strength, but with the main hope that they tap into the connection to the divine, their oneness.

3. What makes your classes unique?

I feel that my classes attract people that are music and energy driven. My class stands out as not only a challenging workout, but as an electric experience where my student’s feed off strong music and intense energy. There is something to be said about being able to combine the rush of hitting your peak moment and pushing yourself beyond your perceived limitations and I feel that my class gives my students the opportunity to do that.

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

Music is a huge drive for my class. Strong beat work with a medium to high BPM is what sets the tone for the real “work” in my class.

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

In addition to my 4 weekly classes at Corepower Yoga. I also host a monthly “Burns and Brunch” event class with a live DJ and option for my students to join me for brunch afterward to connect.

https://www.facebook.com/events/598868566982108

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

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

#YouInspireMe: @gelipaz! ☀️ If you can't tell from my last post, this yogini is amazing!! She is so inspirational, and today she inspires me to follow my passion, be my best self, and be courageous enough to adventure! 🙏🏼 SONG: Infinite Light by @DTOmusic ft. Zoe Sol. Stream or download today on iTunes or Spotify! 🌿 "Raising the vibrations of the planet through art and music." ~ @BuddhaMusicGroup 🎶 🎉 10% of CD sales benefit nutrition & yoga for kids. -@PlantPoweredKids 🌻

A post shared by DTO – Dave Kemp (@dtomusic) on Apr 3, 2017 at 4:12pm PDT

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

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

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Honor the Divine Feminine with DTO and Hemalayaa at Shakti Fest 2017

Music. Meditation. Mentorship.

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