Yoga means union, connected, joined. In Hatha breath-based Yoga we use the breath to join body and mind. Each inhale and exhale is deliberately coordinated with the postures (asanas), to allow for deeper stretches, improved focus, and a calmer state by regulating the flow of vital energy.

 I started practicing Yoga in 2017, and regularly practicing since 2019. My first teacher was Claudia Florian-McCaffery at Oakwood Studio/Gym in Lafayette, California. She trained in Hatha Yoga with an Anusara based philosophy. Claudia employs a mindful Yin-like flow of stretch and asanas that resonated with me as a beginner. Claudia moved overseas in 2021 and I continued the practice with Veera Sanjana at Oakwood, who brought a more holistic understanding of Hatha Yoga with integrative Ayurvedic wisdom, breathwork, mudras, and grounding techniques. Along with the Asanas, this expanded my understanding of Yoga as a complete mind-body practice.

In 2023 I moved to South Carolina and joined Dancing Dogs Yoga Studio in Bluffton.  There I found an ideal Yogini in Stasia Comiskey, an e-RYT500 teacher. She practices a wide range of styles. My favorite class is her “Ebb and Flow” practice, employing deep asanas integrated with deliberate sequences. She inspired me to begin my Yoga teaching journey and I continue to practice with her as a student.

In 2024 I completed requirements for the RYT200 Yoga Alliance certification through Akasha Yoga Academy, a Yoga Alliance Approved School since 2012.   Akasha offers an in-depth, Breath-Based Hatha Yoga curriculum with a very supportive community. I also hold BA and MA degrees, and the CCHT (Hypnotherapy) credential.  Click here for my Yoga Alliance Webpage.  

I appreciate a mindful practice tending towards gentle stretches to open, and both dynamism and static holds within the asanas. I invite flexibility, strength and balance while using breath for focus. As the body opens and expands, I hold space to encourage heart and mind to be present, with no judgment or competition. 

My favorite modern pose is the extended side-angle pose, Utthita Parsvakonasana. This elegant pose touches a variety of core, hip and shoulder muscles. My favorite traditional pose is the shoulder stand, Sarvangasana, also known as the “Queen of Asanas”. It offers many physical and mental benefits as an inversion. 

My teaching mission is to expand the light within. Typically, my practice begins with a mindful centering of self, inviting openness and intention. Including warm-up stretches, a one-hour class will have 10 - 15 asanas with restorative sequences. We finish class with a guided Shavasana and brief meditation honoring our efforts both on and off the mat. Please join me in sharing Yoga practice together!