FEATURED TEACHER - CLAIRE PETRETTI MARTI - YogaDownload's Featured Yoga Teacher

FEATURED TEACHER - CLAIRE PETRETTI MARTI

Posted on 6/25/2020 by Yoga & More Download

Hello from San Diego, California lovely students! When I first began teaching for YogaDownload back in January 2015, I had no idea how transformative becoming part of our online community would be on my entire life. I love having the honor and opportunity to share yoga with you wherever you are in the world. These days, we are all at home more. Being able to practice together, to foster connection, resilience, strength, and lightness is more important than ever. Thank you all so much for choosing to breathe, move, and smile with me. And you Nothing But Core fans––every minute of those planks is to make you stronger––promise!

How do you bring yoga in your day to day life?

Through times in my life where stepping onto the yoga mat was impossible or challenging, like when I went through cancer treatment and a serious car accident, I learned how to live my yoga off the mat.

For me, Pranayama is incredibly important because by changing the way I breathe, I can change the way I feel. How incredible to energize or calm simply by altering the fluctuations of my breath. A few activities drop me into my yoga “zone” like listening to music (mostly alternative rock), being outdoors (living by the ocean is vital for me), and reading (I always have a book in my hand), and spending time with animals, including my dog Josie and two pussycats Beau and Lola. I meditate every morning, even if it’s only for a few minutes, to center my thoughts and start my day with as positive a perspective as possible.

2. 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.

3. How do you think can yoga help our world?

As I answer this question in late June 2020, our world is a very different place than it was even a few short months ago due to the global pandemic. Everything is changing and I truly believe 2020 is the year that in history will be referred to as “pre-2020” and “after-2020.” We’re living in the midst of what many call the “Great Pause.” It’s a time of reflection and transformation.

Yoga by its nature is reflection and transformation. Also, yoga is all about connection and with a regular yoga practice, we learn to stay connected with our hearts, minds, and bodies. If we are all individually growing more self-aware and resilient, we show up in the world as stronger, more compassionate humans. Yoga can help us discover our best selves and together, we can make the world a kinder more positive place.

PRACTICE ONE OF CLAIRE'S POWERFUL & FUN CLASSES, HERE!

Learn about yoga alignment with Claire in this yoga tutorial: