I used to say that yoga changed my life.  Now I realize that it was my life that changed, drastically, and my yoga was with me to help me through the difficult transitions.   Yoga, meaning "to yoke," helped me to bind together body, mind, and spirit, enabling me to withstand the hard times and appreciate the beautiful parts of my life.

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I entered my first yoga class quite by accident. At age 60 years I still enjoyed swimming, hiking, and paddle-boarding, but I could tell that I was losing strength, flexibility, and stamina.  I was stiff and sore most of the time and my body seemed to be turning to marshmallow fluff.  I ran into a friend whom I hadn't seen in many months, and I noticed how sleek, beautiful, and serene she looked.  She credited her toned body to yoga classes and invited me to join her.  I wanted what she had!

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It's too bad that someone didn't film my first attempt at yoga.  It would have qualified as a winner on America's Funniest Home Videos.   Trying to get my arms, legs, breath, and mind to coordinate was like herding kittens and I almost broke my nose trying to lower myself down to the mat from plank in Chaturanga!   Fortunately, my teacher was excellent.  (She is still one of my favorites!)  And, although I struggled greatly in that first class, I was hooked.  From that very first experience I learned that yoga is a completely personal journey and I wanted to begin mine.

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In 2018, I entered yoga teacher training with Living Yoga Program, in Austin, Texas.  Twice during that year, I spent 10 days in intensive training at the Ancient Yoga Center of the Rhada Madhav Dham ashram in the Texas Hill Country.  In addition to gaining skills and knowledge that allow me to share yoga with my students, I made incredible discoveries about my own beliefs, values, strengths and weaknesses.  I received the benefit of wisdom from amazing teachers like Charles McInerney, Ellen Smith, Rama Jyoti Vernon, Gudjon Bergmann, Robert Bustani, Steven Ross, and many others.  I made lifelong friendships with my fellow students and yoga family and we continue to share with one another through our regular kula gatherings.

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Today I am honored to be equipped to share my yoga with students who wish to further their knowledge of the practice.  I am registered with Yoga Alliance as an RYT-200 yoga instructor.  I have continued my studies with Yin Yoga training through Practice Yoga Austin with teachers Shanti Kelley and Iva Drtina-Hall, and completed a teacher training program in the "Gentle is the New Advanced" yoga practice of J Brown.  I believe that yoga is for people of all ages and body types and I continue my learning to make the practice accessible to all!

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