"When you work on yoga, yoga works on you." ~ Mu-Hsien Lee

Yoga first started working on me in 2003. Curious, and knowing little about it, I asked a teacher at my neighborhood studio, "What can someone expect to get out of yoga?" She simply responded "Whatever you put into it." I was expecting something a little more like relaxation, or stress relief...but her response was reflective of the relationship between the development of one's personal yoga practice and of the self. That your external world is a manifestation of your internal.

As I continued to practice, I realized that the emphasis was on "you". Your journey, your intentions, your observations, your explorations. I discovered the courage to honor the needs of my body and self, and experienced liberation from judgement. What others were doing in class had no bearing on the work that I was doing.

Often times after an especially focused practice, I'd lay in Savasana, with a clear mind free of distracting and unhelpful thoughts. In those times of clarity, only the most important aspects in life would surface, allowing answers to big looming questions to appear. Regardless of my circumstances, I would often leave class with a feeling of "All is well." These insights planted the seed for what was to manifest years later.

~ THE THINGS WE ARE MEANT TO DO IN LIFE OFTEN START OUT AS SEEMINGLY INSIGNIFICANT THOUGHTS.

Enter stress, pressure, thoughtful solutions, beautiful designs. My design career was and is still a passion of mine. I learned a great deal through the years, but I also collected poor habits and chronic health issues along the way. Yoga re-emerged with greater intensity years later. It brought balance into my life and course corrected the health of my mind, body, and spirit.

I began my RYT 200 yoga teaching certification at The Global Yoga Center, Chicago, a Yoga Alliance Certified Training Program. Inspired by the teachings of Rita Knorr (Anusara Certified), Rhonda Kantor (RYT 500) and Dorie Silverman (Anusara Inspired) I teach with a watchful eye towards the student's individual needs while challenging a new understanding of themselves beyond the poses. I am grateful to all of my teachers, including Martin Kirk, Max Strom, and Seane Corne.

Currently I am continuing to deepen my therapeutic training by apprenticing with Gabriel Halpern. Using modified and supported poses, I teach one-on-one with students at his Gentle class at Yoga Circle. Gabriel's indepth experience and teachings in healing injuries, chronic issues and pain management, delivered with Iyengar's wisdom and teachings, continue to keep me a humble student.