My yoga practice began in Utah in 2000 when I quit swimming collegiately. I had injured my shoulders and was looking for a way to rehabilitate that didn’t involve surgery when I reconnected with a childhood mentor, Deni Preston, and on her suggestion began taking her yoga classes. To be honest, I quickly fell in love with the challenging physical nature of the practice, but then realized that the days I practiced asana my usually frenetic mind calmed down a bit. As an added benefit, my shoulders slowly began to heal and regain their full range of motion due to the heat, alignment, and spiritual and physical cleansing that is the yogic process. I eventually began teaching Deni’s classes after training with her for two years and then began teaching my own. However, I still hadn’t found someone who I felt could train me as thoroughly and as deeply as I wanted in the true yogic path. I had completed workshops with Bryan Kest, Ana Forrest, Baron Baptiste, D’ana Baptiste, and John Friend but still hadn’t committed myself to a full teacher training program.

I moved to Michigan in 2006 and 6 months later found Hiliare. When I took my first class I knew I had come home. I gave birth to my first child in June 2008 and am so blessed that I had this practice to prepare me for the experience of childbirth using simply the breath and depth of spirit. After experiencing another healing and recovery in my life after a challenging labor, I realized just how deeply I needed this practice and committed to teacher training at Hilltop. I completed the 200 hour teacher training in Summer 2009 and am working toward my 300 hour certification. Heartfelt thanks go to my husband and son for supporting me in doing this.

I love and honor my practice. Some days I would rather not be at the studio and some days I feel absolutely liberated my being on my mat. But this practice continues to teach me about my relationship to myself, others, and the divine, so I always come back. I have been practicing now for ten years and only just feel like I have begun to deepen in to my practice. I hope you will allow this practice to begin to open your body, mind, and spirit to the possibilities of life.

Namaste