Hello from sunny Southern California, lovely YogaDownload students! I’m so happy to be part of this global yoga collective that is YogaDownload.com. As I move into my seventh year as a teacher for our online community, I want to thank you for the opportunity to share yoga with you. Whether you join me weekly for my Monday Facebook Live class from my home to yours or practice one of my 60+ online classes, I hope that my love of yoga translates through the screen to you. My intention is help you feel lighter, more resilient, and more connected with yourself and the world. Thank you all so much for being here.
How has being a yoga teacher evolved for you over the years? What are some things that have not changed?
I’ve been teaching yoga since 2006 and progressed from part-time to full-time and back to part-time again. So many life changes occurred over the last 16 years, including beating breast cancer in 2010, co-creating the largest yoga fundraiser in Southern California––Yoga for Hope, building and running yoga teacher trainings, teaching yoga retreats around the globe, and teaching online.
My primary focus when I began was sharing Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga because it was how I entered the yoga world as a Type-A ex-attorney. As I’ve grown older, I’ve expanded my horizons and adjusted my practice to meet my current needs. Now, I love teaching various styles, including Yin, Yoga for Cancer Recovery, and hybrids of Pilates and yoga. That’s the beauty of yoga–your practice evolves with you.
What hasn’t changed? My belief that yoga has a certain alchemy and many of the benefits can’t be explained. My belief that there is no “right” way to practice yoga, there are many ways. All I know is that when I practice yoga, I feel happier, lighter, and more balanced. My intention to share those benefits with students remains steadfast!
What are some of your favorite places in the world?
I’m half-French and am happiest in either Paris where I attended university, the south of France where the majority of my family lives, and L’Ile Rousse, Corsica, a small seaside village where my grand-père is from and where I spent most of my summers growing up. Life feels simpler in France where the focus is on living each day to the fullest, enjoying delicious food, the beauty of nature, and the comfort and wonder of history.
Do you ever watch your own classes? How is it to see yourself teaching on camera?
I do! I’ll confess that some of the classes I create stem from personal issues I’ve had––like major back/neck pain and cancer. My Yoga for Healthy Back classes and Nothing But Core classes are targeted at building a healthy spine and creating a strong center, which are essential to preventing back pain. I often put together moves I’ve personally found effective and so, sometimes I’ll take my own class to make sure I practice them all.
Is that strange? I know my dog gets very confused when she watches me on the mat but hears my voice from the computer. Seeing myself teach on camera helped me recognize that I’m a dork but that my love of yoga shines through my instruction.
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