RFY is an amazing and unique yoga studio with incredibly kind and knowledgeable teachers and staff. I was searching for a way to connect my spiritual journey, and I attended a class with my friend, Dana and completely fell in love with it all! I learn something new in every class and I always leave refreshed and renewed. I would recommend RFY to absolutely anyone and everyone!
“Yoga is not about touching your toes. It's about what you
learn on the way down.”
The first time I truly tried yoga was on the rooftop of a
hostel in Guadalajara, Mexico. I know, exotic right?
Some friends showed me some postures, and I remember sweating my
butt off and feeling so alive afterwards that I decided to continue
a steady practice in Austin, TX where I lived at the time.
Gradually I started to notice how much yoga and breathing
techniques reduced my anxiety attacks that I had been struggling
with since I was 13 years old.
In 2012 I earned my RYT200 certification from Shambhava Yoga
in Kona, HI. I usually go big or go home. Since then I have
taught over 1,500 hours (E-RYT200) to all levels and age groups and
received my 300 hour certification (RYT500) in Yoga Therapeutics
from the Wilmington Yoga Center in Wilmington, NC which emphasizes
more towards private sessions to those with specific needs: trauma,
anxiety, depression, PTSD, chronic pain, difficulty breathing, and
injuries. I'm also trained to teach Core Strength Vinyasa from
world renowned teacher Sadie Nardini and Budokon Yoga, a mixed
movement arts system from movement expert Cameron Shayne.
During the summers I teach Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) Yoga on the
Chattahoochee River.
I strongly emphasize that yoga is all about about calming the
mind - the body, postures, and breathwork are just the tools you
use to get there. The flexibility, balance, and strength are
by-products of the work you do on your mat. Everyone has a
different skeleton and varying degrees of flexibility so you CHOOSE
what variation of a posture is right for you and own it.
I'm big on breath awareness to calm the mind, moving slowly
and mindfully into and out of postures, smart alignment, and core
awareness. Being an athlete my classes will have that
athletic, kick your butt edge to build strength and resiliance, but
I can also teach a “put you in a coma” Gentle Flow class. In
all classes I promise to balance you out with flexibility work (I
understand tight hamstrings!) and a much deserved savasana
(relaxation pose).
When I'm not yoga-ing, you can find me running or riding my
road bike on the Riverwalk, hanging out in Uptown, doing ninja
warrior training, making and selling homemade essential oil
products, reading and writing, watching Impractical Jokers, walking
my precious black lab Lando, or satiating my travel bug.
Yoga is a LIFELONG PRACTICE and is truly for everyone whether
you're just practicing breathing or going to sweaty flow. IT'S ALL
BENEFICIAL. Whenever we come to our mats it's an opportunity
to let go of the negative voices and thoughts in our head, to
change our reactions to bodily sensations understanding we are
human and it's normal to have them, to create more SPACE in the
mind and body, to open our hearts to ourselves and to others, to
let go of anger and past, painful memories, to be in the present
moment, to let go of anger and unhealthy habits, to SLOW DOWN in
this instant gratification world, to build equanimity, to build
confidence and self-love, to REMEMBER who we are, to recognize our
spirit!, to celebrate our breath, movement, our aliveness, to
cleanse from the inside out, to STAY HEALTHY FOR YEARS TO COME, and
to ultimately FEEL GOOD and KNOW FREEDOM.