Question: What's your focus as an instructor?

S: As a certified yoga instructor my concern for you will be safety. You should not be sore or experience pain or injury doing yoga. It is part of our Western culture to want to achieve something and push our way into accomplishment. This is an Eastern philosophy, which we tend to try and Westernize. Try to think of yoga as the dessert of fitness. It is something that we don't hurry through, but endeavor to stop and savor. Give yourself the permission to do this.

The focus is to present a solid introduction to what yoga is and what it is not. My intention is to share this gentle and respectful approach of caring for the body in the best way possible. I see Yoga as an art form and tool for self -discovery. It is a celebration.

L: At the beginning of your practice, the focus is on getting to know your body and how it works and how it responds to breathing and streching. Part of my yoga certification included training in teaching with safety for the spine and joints. For beginners that is my focus along with learning to enjoy having a vibrant creative physical body. When you have been practicing for a few months or years, then you discover that yoga brings amazing benefits to your emotional and spiritual life. I don't advocate any specific religion but I do encourage a spiritual practice and focus on moving yoga into your day to day life.

Question: How do we know who teaches each day?

L: Normally one person teaches both Tue and Thur then we trade off the next week. Summer is more mixed up because of family reunions and vacations. Each of us has different aspects of yoga that we are drawn to, so that reflects in our teaching. Hopefully it is different enough give variety and alike enough not to be confusing

Question: What can I expect from a yoga class?

S:What I hope you will gain out of class is a greater appreciation and awareness of your body and an increase in mindfulness and presence in your life.
As you work through the poses and begin to focus your attention on the body and breath you will begin to discover a deep sense of connection and presence within yourself and your world.
Yoga can help you be more patient as you develop flexibility, more poise as you gain strength and a greater sense of connections as you develop balance.
You will notice the elongation of the spine as each pose works the back. The benefits will be greater flexibility, strength, balance, true alignment in the spine, feeling better supported by the skeleton, release of tension in the back, shoulders, and hips to name a few.
As your practice with yoga unfolds you should feel a heightened awareness of your own body, its strengths and weaknesses.
You will be able to identify where you carry tension and what poses you can do to relieve that tension.
You can feel stronger, flexible and steady.
This is your time, no one else's. Do not compare yourself to anyone. You alone must live in your body, understand it and celebrate it. Yoga is about opportunity, your opportunity!
Namaste!

L: Our class has students who are beginners and some who have been with us for more than 8 years. One of us teaches and the other helps new students to modify if needed. We have props, chairs, and a bar along the wall to help with modifications. Our more advanced students are very supportive and kind about the moments we spend helping new students, so feel free to join at any time. Sometimes we do gentle reflective yoga and sometimes we do power yoga. We laugh, cry, breathe and enjoy the time together doing something we love.

Question: How did you discover yoga?

S: I had an opportunity to take a class from a wonderful instuctor in Salt Lake City, Utah. My first experience I had with yoga was profound. I knew that I wanted to know more and to pursue this amazing art form.

L: I love creative body movement and all things Eastern so I knew I would love yoga if I ever had the chance to learn it. Our local fitness center began classes and that's where I learned. Within that year, the teacher was unable to continue and the class would be canceled unless a teacher could be found. This was about the same time Shelly came into the area so we volunteered to teach the yoga at the fitness center so there could continue to be yoga in Rexburg. Teaching is the best and fastest way to learn!

Question: What else do you do besides teaching yoga?

S: Besides teaching yoga I enjoy experimenting with whole grains in cooking, growing a garden, canning and preserving the harvest and cooking with a dutch oven when camping. I also try to hike and cycle as often as possible in the summer and cross country ski during the winter. Best of all, there is nothing better than an intriguing book while curled up in a blanket during a winter snowstorm.

L: I am married and have 5 children and 3 are still at home. Being a mom is fabulous training for teaching yoga. My hobbies and interests include walking, fitness, dancing (even if its by myself), reading, cooking, crochet, homeopathy and energy medicine, rollerblading in the summer, games and parties, theatre, music, living to be 100, food, nutrition, & handwriting. I graduated from ISU with a BS in Food and Nutrition.

Question: Any current yoga projects?

S: I recently received my Relax and Renew teaching certificate under Judith Lasater, Ph.D., P.T. This certificate authorizes me to teach restorative yoga classes. I feel strongly that we must give ourselves permission to slow down, to get off the “gerbil wheel” or habit of daily stressful living and recover. This can be accomplished by learning skills to begin to take responsibility for our health and regain abundant and purposeful living again.

Another current project is our desire to bring the practice of yoga more to the attention of the local medical community. We want the health care professionals in the area to know and trust that when they send patients to Rexburg yoga, they will receive careful, gentle, appropraite guidance in a yoga practice.

L: I am practicing what I call ER yoga. When you go to the ER - the Emergency room - it is a quick intervention for a physical emergency. ER yoga is Emotional Recovery Yoga. It is a quick emotional intervention to remove the trapped emotions that are causing pain, discomfort or imbalance in the body. ER yoga is pain relief yoga; physical or emotional pain. I use this on myself, once a week volunteering with those living in the Village Community Gardens and schedule private sessions as well.