How did yoga become part of your life? What led you to a devoted yoga practice?
Yoga was actually introduced to me from my parents. When I was in college and I would be really stressed out as well as my muscles would get really tight since I played in the tennis team in college,my mom suggested that I try yoga. My parents use to do yoga in their early years of marriage. I was so nervous to go to a studio to practice yoga because I thought the teacher would be teaching the class speaking in Sanskrit and I wouldn’t know what was going on. So I started my yoga journey doing yoga with Adrian on YouTube for about a year. One summer break when I was home, I got a Groupon to try yoga at a studio. That experience didn’t go so well. SoI tried another studio, which was Day Yoga and I’ve been with them since 2016, I started teaching at Day Yoga November of 2017.
What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about yoga?
A big misconception that people have about yoga is that you have to be really flexible to be able to do it. People are often times not aware that there are modifications for all of the poses. We feel comfortable going bowling with friends and not being good at it, but yet we still have fun and enjoy ourselves. So why can’t we do that with Yoga?
Name 3 non-negotiables in your life.
Three non negotiables in my life. 1. I have to take at least 30 min to an hour everyday to have me time. I use that time to watch a show, meditate, journal, etc. I need that time to replenish myself in order for me to show up as my best self. 2. I must put my feet in the sand on a beach at least twice a year. I love being by the ocean or on the water. It’s another way that I replenish my soul.3. Taking time to make memories with the people I love. Life is so short. Its important for me to spend time with our friends and family while they are here.Time is a gift that we often take for granted.
What is the pose that challenges you most? Why do you think it challenges you?
Poses that challenge me the most are inversions such as Head stands and hands stands. Unless I have a spotter or a wall to support me I don’t do them. Being upside down without any security freaks me out. One day I’ll over come that fear.
If you had to pick one mantra to share with your students, what would it be?
One mantra that I would share with my students is live love laugh now. I think sometimes people wait till they meet certain milestones to really enjoy life. They wait until they lose weight, they wait till they are a certain age, or a New Years resolution or till they make a certain amount of money. Life is a gift and we should be enjoying every minute of it.
