My Personal Yoga History

My personal yoga history goes like this:  My lovely friend Karon took me to my first yoga class in 1996.  We went to Yoga Works on Montana, Sarah Bell's class;  I liked it from the get-go.  Karon quickly taught me ujjayi breath before we started the class and I enjoyed the asanas.  I had been a runner for years and my fitness level was good but I certainly could have benefitted from more flexibility. 

I didn't take my next class until September of 1998.  This one was through the city of Long Beach, my home at the time, with the incredible Gabriel Hall. Gabriel had studied at the Iyengar Institute in LA and with many well known teachers on the West side.  He was great at teaching a safe yet interesting and challenging class.  His class met at a local dance studio. 

After this experience I sought out more classes to add to my weekly one with Gabriel and found Omadawn studio in Seal Beach.  There I experienced yoga with Barbara Bannerman.  It was so nurturing and loving that I felt I was getting an amazing deal for my measley $12.00.  Barbara had a vast yoga background, having studied with Ganga White, Erich Schiffmann and John Friend.  She was generous with her knowledge and not long after that first class, I was attending classes at her home studio and tagging along with her to workshops around LA with these well-known yogis. 

A few years later, Gabriel opened his own studio and hired Barbara.  Yoga World became my yoga home.  As my yoga practice grew, my running stopped.  My knees no longer enjoyed pounding the pavement like they once did.  I found that yoga fulfilled my athletic yearnings along with my interest in dance.  Parallel to the physical benefits of asana came the mental benefits.  My life began to change in many ways due to my growing practice of yoga. 

Eventually, I decided that I wanted to teach and asked both my teachers their advice on teacher training programs.  I settled on Yoga Works in Santa Monica with Maty Ezraty and Lisa Walford--Ashtanga and Iyengar influences.  The training was rigorous, tough and wonderful.  Maty and Lisa focused on the detail in asanas, something that I love. 

After training ended Gabriel gave me my first break by letting me sub a class.  He was generous to do so and I will forever be indebted to him for this.  Eventually, he hired me to teach a weekly class, then more and more.  This was in 2001. 

Since then I have moved to the lovely town of Sierra Madre.  I landed a teaching job at Yoga Madre in 2003 shortly after it opened and have been there ever since. 

While this yoga journey took place, I continued to work in the computer hardware industry.  I got married to a wonderful guy and then eventually quit computers to be a mom.  I am grateful for the opportunity to teach yoga while I experience my darling daughter, Sofia, growing up.  Teaching yoga is by far the most rewarding work experience I have had.  I enjoy sharing my love of yoga with others and experiencing their joy when they do their first handstand, headstand, etc.

Yoga helps me be a better mother, wife and person.