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Life
Living art-fully.
Spaciously aware of all in each moment,
in each movement.
As in prayer.
The joyful challenge of this life, for me... that I may rest within the
do’s and to do’s with awareness, that I may follow through with self-time
devoted to journaling, introspection, and meditation in hopes of finding
clarity and evolving gracefully, that I may be fully present with my
family, students, friends and community as we all experience relationship,
learning, and love. I salute the wisdom of yoga as it has been passed
through the ages and as it flows from within my own being. For me, yoga is
a way into quiet body and quiet mind. It happens on the mat, yes, but more
and more it transforms the everyday motion of life.
Yoga offers up the tools and the support I need to discover my own
heart-truths, sustain my spirit, replenish my patience, and delight in the
abundant glory that is. A big fat part of that glory resides, for me, at
my home – as my choice to be a mother and nurturer is certified and
organic. I can be found digging in the earth joyfully (and for the most
part without attachment to the outcome), playing shallow seas or excavator
with my two bright boys, baking, cooking or preserving, learning about
sustainability and the rise of the local foods movement. I look forward
and sometimes longingly to quiet time, writing, and reading but have
discovered that sometimes, quiet time exists within the rambunctious-ness
of boys and family and, well, life.
Yoga
I have been practicing yoga for ten years, teaching for the past five, and I enjoy sharing a flowing ever-evolving form of asana practice. My practice has been inspired by Melissa Spamer, Kali Ray's TriYoga flows, Rama Yoti Vernon and by the experience of my own body and heart. I completed a
200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification through
Lotus in the Flame while full-moon pregnant with my second son in 2007. The timing and gift of Melissa’s teachings during this training was deeply appreciated. Prior to this, I tested and became certified to teach
TriYoga Basics in 2003. The TriYoga flows inspired me to begin a home practice and also helped me find healing and relief from chronic low back/hip pain. It was this pain that first prompted me to try yoga at Integral Yoga Studio in NYC. The practice has since brought me into mindfulness, supported healing - both body and mind, and has brought me into alignment with a sense of spirit that I honor with - all.
Massage and Bodywork
I graduated from W.M.U. and the Lee Honors College in 1995 with a degree in Theatre Performance and a Minor in Dance. I moved to New York, N.Y. for a few years with my husband-to-be and we eventually returned to Kalamazoo with the intention of living a “greener” existence. A search for
well-being led me to immerse myself in studies at The Kalamazoo Center for the Healing Arts. I completed their 520-hour Massage and Bodywork Certification in 2002. I also took on the apprenticeship program at KCHA during the last year of my training. The time I spent as an apprentice was invaluable and I was able to experience within my body and my hands the wisdom that is inherent in the body/mind. I continued on-staff as a Full Practitioner until the birth of my son in 2003. I have been practicing bodywork consistently and have been particularly interested to watch my sense of this work grow and shift and open to deeper levels.
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