“Yoga has definitely changed my life. It keeps me physically fit, mentally focused and emotionally balanced. It has continued to challenge me through the years when life gets mundane and keeps me relaxed and rejuvenated when life gets hectic and stressful. All around it is by far the most beneficial, stable facet of my life with the capacity to change with me as I grow.

I have been teaching yoga for eleven years now, in a variety of places, some of which include: fitness clubs, community centres and out of my own home. I have studied all over the world, the most impacting being: California, Massachusetts, India and Thailand. The style that I teach is Asthanga or Hatha with a Vinyasa flow. I have studied many different styles and tend to focus on posture and alignment.

My passion is definitely teaching, giving me the ability to share everything that I have learned and experienced with others in a way that hopefully enhances their lives as it has mine.

When I was in school for massage therapy, one of my teachers brought in this long-haired guy, and told us we were going to learn some YOGA. Ok, sure why not. Then it happened, forward fold, for what felt like an eternity (in reality probably 30 -60 sec). I was in agony, my mind could not stop, and all he kept saying was breathe and relax. I felt like jumping up and telling him to relax. Thank god the torture ended. Later that day I felt amazing: relaxed; comfortable; and at ease. It was just a coincidence; it could not have been the yoga.

A month or two later I walked into class. What's going on? A different person but more yoga! Are you kidding me? I was not impressed that they had tricked me again, and there was nothing I could do about it.

At least this time I did not feel frantic, but I would not say that I liked it. Again, later that day I was feeling really good! It still could not be the yoga!

After the third occurrence, I was a little more open minded and started to enjoy myself a little.

A couple of weeks later Goodlife Fitness asked me if I would teach Reebok's spin of Yoga called Flexible Strength. I thought why not? I'll try it.

A friend had a yoga video (VHS) so we worked on it together, and then I proceeded to copy down on paper what they did in the video. I made a few changes based on my knowledge of the body just so I wasn't stealing. I walked in to the class with my papers and began to teach.

So, here we go into a posture and we closed our eyes, while my eyes were closed feeling the posture in my mind I could see in my mind that if we did this with our leg and this with our arm that would probably feel pretty good. So that is what I taught to the class. When we would get into each posture we would close our eyes and I would see something else.

I taught this way for probably 6-8 months. By then I was hooked. This Yoga stuff was amazing and I needed to learn more. I started buying books and more videos.

Oh MY GOD, all of those movements I had been seeing in my mind and teaching were real postures, with names. I did not know what to think. I was confused. At that moment I felt as though I had found what I had been looking for since I was a little girl. Here it was inside of me all this time. I thank my teachers for forcing me into the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. Yoga is truly an extension of who I am, not just what I do.”