Purple Blossom Yoga Studio

Emily is originally from the little island town of Winona, Minnesota on the northern stretch of the Mississippi River. A Taurus, Yoga is right at the top of her hobby list, but one can otherwise find her lost in lots of forms of art, card/envelope making, sewing projects, spinning poi, reading books, enjoying nature, reading tarot cards, moon cycle rituals... all things energy work really! Emily has a wonderful child named Paxton who will be 6 this summer.

Her yoga journey began when she was in high school, but stalled when she moved to NC (the first time!) at the age of 21. Years and one child later, after some serious life turns, she turned back into her yoga practice. She believes feeling the asana has always been something she does naturally but really diving deep into the Philosophy has been nothing but a breath of fresh air for her. The practice resonates with her on a variety of levels. Creating a life that is based around this philosophy is something her soul has been called to do! 

Emily took her RYT200 at Muddy Waters Yoga School in Winona, MN 2018-2019. She feels so blessed to have this style of training as it allowed her the space to learn how to incorporate the lessons into her day to day lifestyle. The class was small so the intimacy that was shared has only turned into lifelong bonds. Being included in a sacred circle that allowed the release of tramas and emotions was a gift she plans to cultivate for others in her future communities. 

Her dear friend and great Yogi Nicolle Jensen, based out of Santa Fe, NM, has by far been her biggest personal influence. With over 15 years of deep immersion studies she has reminded Emily about the tapas that is ever growing inside of us all. Nicolle also being a talented musician, Emily has had the honor of leading classes while she filled the room with beautiful tones.  

Emily’s  life long goal is owning her own Healing House on an island somewhere!

“Each breath is a chance for a new action.” 

“There is no need to worry about the past or hope for the future. Simply focus on the breath in the present and life will always unfold before you in a beautiful mysterious way you have yet to dream of. I am honored and grateful to start this new adventure of working with Purple Blossom Yoga Studio and the community of Greenville. I hold you all in my heart and look forward to seeing you on the mat each week for a moment of self love. Namaste.”

Jennifer, a Pisces, considers herself a “Palessippian” as she has roots in Palestine and Mississippi. She spent her childhood across the South before moving to New Jersey then Illinois for school, and she has spent nearly the last 20 years split between Washington, DC and countries across the Middle East and North Africa. She chose to move to North Carolina in 2019.

Jennifer is a career foreign policy and global development specialist, focused on economic growth, tech innovation, national security, and the Middle East/North Africa. She currently runs her own consultancy - Inara Strategies LLC - and is writing a memoir (working title) “Waves of One Sea”.

The water and the mountains are where Jennifer feels most at home, and together they remind her of her family home in Haifa. Since moving to North Carolina, she has spent as much time as possible hiking and exploring the eastern coast and the Blue Ridge Mountains. At home and under the supervision of cats Za'atar & Baloo, Jennifer enjoys cooking up a storm - learning new recipes, baking as healthily as possible, and making more of her family's traditional Palestinian/Lebanese cuisine.

Jennifer began her yoga practice in graduate school in DC, but really launched into a regular practice upon returning to DC from Egypt. Seeking healthier life habits amid a grueling work schedule, she aimed to create greater mind-body-spirit balance, which she found at Flow Yoga Center, initially through a Jivamukti practice that felt like “yoga church”. Her experience there inspired her to deepen her practice, going on to work at the studio and later obtain her yoga teacher certification.

She received her 200 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher Certification through Flow Yoga Center. Her vinyasa (flow) and hatha classes are influenced by Jivamukti, prana flow, and (occasionally) power yoga. 

Jennifer has completed specialized training on teaching yoga to trauma-affected communities with Hala Khouri, the co-founder of Off the Mat Into the World - bridging the tools of yoga with sustainable, conscious activism. She also holds a Yin Yoga teaching certificate (20 hr) from Sky House Yoga in Maryland. Jennifer feels blessed to have had the opportunity to train with amazing teachers around the world and is especially inspired by her time spent with Yogeswari, Shiva Rea, Kathryn Budig, Hala Khouri, and Mira Shani. 

Jennifer is excited to connect with the Greenville, NC community, and share the space that was awakened in her heart, mind, and body as well as the practice of non-judgemental living in the present moment that was so transformative for her.

Kaitlyn is an Aries who originally hails from Dallas, Texas. She found her way to North Carolina in 2011 for undergrad study at UNC Chapel Hill where she fell in love with NC and has lived here ever since.  Kaitlyn is a 3rd year medical student at the Brody School of Medicine. She plans to practice Family Medicine and someday open her own clinic. She is passionate about lifestyle medicine, and her dream is to empower others to lead healthier, happier lives.

Kaitlyn grew up competing in gymnastics for 21 years, so naturally she loves playing with her inversion practice and exploring new variations and movements. She feels happiest when outdoors - soaking up sunshine and enjoying quiet moments in nature. Kaitlyn loves taking trips to the beach, dancing around her bedroom at night, and recently started learning guitar (which has been both a fun and humbling journey). She has a very fluffy, incredibly sassy calico cat named Maddie whose favorite pastimes are playing with ribbons and eating all house plants.

She started practicing yoga in 2016 - mostly for my mental health and wellbeing. When Kaitlyn started medical school in 2018, the practice became even more important as she began to navigate an incredibly challenging chapter of her life. Kaitlyn completed her 200hr YTT through Samasti Yoga in Bali in July 2019. What began as a dream to become a yoga teacher quickly transformed into the most profound spiritual journey of her life. She is so grateful she took the leap of faith to become a yoga teacher as it turned out to be the best decision she ever made. Most recently Kaitlyn completed a workshop called “Bridging the Practice of Yoga and Modern Medicine” with Jessica Johnson, M.D., RYT.

Kaitlyn feels that through all the ups and downs, yoga has been the anchor that grounds her - leading her back to herself again and again. She is so genuinely grateful for her practice and hopes to share it with others through teaching.

Kelli is a full-time yoga teacher, reflexologist, and self-professed enjoyer of life, originally from right here in Eastern NC. A Sagittarius, she loves to spend time out-of-doors: hiking, skiing, snowmobiling, kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing, sailing and jet skiing – when she is not teaching/practicing yoga or spending time with her family and dog Siddhartha. She also loves to travel -- to both remote and resort style locations - domestic and abroad.

Kelli began practicing Yoga in community college as an elective. She says that “as soon as Yoga and I found one another, I knew we would be together forever” and that practicing yoga helped her tune into her mind/body connection and feel more present, in a way she hadn’t before. Teaching then felt like a very natural progression because she wanted to help everyone unlock the ‘secret’ she had found! For Kelli, yoga is a creative and playful way to get to know and express yourself.

Kelli completed her200hr Program with Transcending Yoga, a small training school in Swansboro, NC. During her training, they focused on Yoga philosophy, teaching & sequencing, and anatomy & physiology. She has received additional Restorative training with Donica Schmidt, Learn to Fly, attended a Learn to Fly workshop with Loretta Jo Schlatzer, and is Reflexology and Integrated Soul Therapy Certified.   

Liza is a pediatric occupational therapist whose yoga journey began many years ago in her birthplace of South Africa. She moved to Greenville 23 years ago and has practiced at Purple Blossom since it's first daays. She recently became an early-nester and was able to achive her goal of becoming a yoga instructor. She trained with Mary & Logan of Longawaveand is thrilled to combine her passions of development, movement, and growth as she joins Purple Blossom's instructors.  

Rachel is a Ballet/Contemporary Dance Teach originally from Salt Lake City, Utah. Rachel is a Leo that currently spends most of her time at home with her three children and enjoys spending time outdoors, bicycling, reading, interior design, and home organization.

She started out as a professional dancer, and subsequent teacher, so movement has always been a major part of her life. She took a few Yoga classes in college but didn’t start consistent practice until after she had retired from performing. She then trained for several years under the direction of her mother in an Ashtanga based method.

Rachel completed her 200 hour training through Longwave Yoga in 2019 along with a few other wonderful Purple Blossom teachers. Rachel feels that Yoga is a path of discovery and transformation physically, mentally and spiritually and is a path anyone can travel. She is grateful to be able to share her experience and love of Yoga with others - to learn, grow, evolve, and transform together.

Sean is originally from Arizona, but has called Eastern NC home since being stationed at Cherry Point in 2004. A  Marine, former mechanic, and Animal Control Officer, Sean currently assists Jess and the other teachers in taking care of the studio and administrative tasks while attending graduate school. He is a Virgo who enjoys reading, yoga, puzzles, generally spending time with family, his 7 animals, and the continuous flow of four legged fosters that he and his partner care for.

Sean began his practice right here at Purple Blossom following a desperate need to find a healthy and practical way of improving his mental and physical health. Sean completed his 200hr training through Longwave Yoga in Sept. of 2020. While excited about the prospect of sharing his journey and knowledge with everyone, he would like to focus much of his teaching around fellow veterans, with the hopes that his journey will illustrate the transformative impact of yoga.

Wendy is a geologist who grew up in Poughkeepsie, NY. She enjoys downhill skiing, hiking, gardening, beekeeping, traveling, cooking, home renovating (her own!). She enjoys the company of their two cats Beija & Bala. Along with three daughters that now spread along the eastern coast (from NYC to VA), she hosted a Portuguese exchange student (who named the cats).  

Wendy came to the asana limb of yoga through a somewhat backward trajectory via dhyana (meditation). About 15 years ago she was going through a rough patch in her life and a dear friend suggested meditation. She says “It was a slippery slope from there.” She attended Sarvaguna Yoga Dhaama (which focused on Hatha and Vinyasa yoga) in Goa, India in November 2018. She has also attended the KORU (mindfulness) training workshop.  

Specifically, she is interested in sharing a merging of her two lives: as a Geologist and as a Yogi. Wendy would like to encourage others to wonder, to observe, and to marvel at the forces at work that are larger than we. By understanding the basic processes and natural beauty of the earth she believes we can understand our place within that larger system, and understand how, as a part of that system we are subject to the same processes of change, equilibrium and resilience.