I believe yoga is meant to ease and empower. I come from an athletic background. Running, swimming, dancing, gymnastics, team sports--you name it! I was fortunate to find in yoga a counterpoint to these activities, something to lengthen and stretch my otherwise tight muscles as well as cultivate peace of mind. After spending more than 10 years practicing yoga, I decided it was time to branch out and start teaching.
I am incredibly proud to be a graduate of The Giving Tree Yoga Studio's 200-hour teacher training program. There is a great deal of variation amongst yoga certification programs. I chose to train at The Giving Tree because it was the most comprehensive program I could find, combining focus on alignment in the asanas with anatomy, yogic philosophy and the chakras. In addition to completing 200 hours of formal instruction, I read 7 major yogic texts and took more than 60 hours of yoga class, including classes I observed and assisted with. I also gained experience leading meditation, chanting and breathing exercises.
The Giving Tree's philosophy is to cultivate the unique teacher within. My classmates and I did not learn how to teach a handful of specific sequences; we learned how to be present with our students and instruct accordingly. In the same way, my philosophy is to cultivate a unique practice with each student. My goal is to practice with you so that you can continue building your practice safely, trusting your intuition to guide you. I encourage you to start each practice anew without expectation, meeting the body in the present moment. We are often taught to extend compassion out to others; we would do well to extend this same courtesy and understanding to ourselves.
I am incredibly proud to be a graduate of The Giving Tree Yoga Studio's 200-hour teacher training program. There is a great deal of variation amongst yoga certification programs. I chose to train at The Giving Tree because it was the most comprehensive program I could find, combining focus on alignment in the asanas with anatomy, yogic philosophy and the chakras. In addition to completing 200 hours of formal instruction, I read 7 major yogic texts and took more than 60 hours of yoga class, including classes I observed and assisted with. I also gained experience leading meditation, chanting and breathing exercises.
The Giving Tree's philosophy is to cultivate the unique teacher within. My classmates and I did not learn how to teach a handful of specific sequences; we learned how to be present with our students and instruct accordingly. In the same way, my philosophy is to cultivate a unique practice with each student. My goal is to practice with you so that you can continue building your practice safely, trusting your intuition to guide you. I encourage you to start each practice anew without expectation, meeting the body in the present moment. We are often taught to extend compassion out to others; we would do well to extend this same courtesy and understanding to ourselves.
