A Little More About Me
My Yoga Journey
A car accident in 2001 followed by a second accident in 2002 caused severe damage to my spine. The result was constant agonizing pain in my neck and shoulders radiating down to my hands. By 2004, the act of performing simple day-to-day tasks became a challenge. I struggled to turn a doorknob, shake hands with people, cook, and clean the house. In addition to an injured spine, I subsequently sustained a knee injury, a rotator cup tear, and a concussion.
I underwent extensive physiotherapy hoping to be rid of all the pain. Unfortunately, the weekly visits to the physiotherapist did not ease the pain. It was at this time that I enrolled in a series of yoga classes offered by a neighbourhood studio. I soon noticed that my regular attendance at the yoga classes gave me relief from pain. I stopped physiotherapy all together and practiced yoga seven days a week. That was the beginning of my healing journey. Practicing yoga diligently and regularly healed me from pain and brought back a sense of wholeness to me mentally and physically. Yoga now is my spiritual path and a part of my daily life.
“Yoga does not just change the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees… and “It is through your body that you realize you are a spark of divinity.”
– B.K.S. Iyengar.
My training
-
In 2008, I joined the Yoga College of Canada’s Teacher Training program. The certification gave me a solid foundation in the science of yoga.
-
In 2011 Judith Hanson Lasater certified me as a Relax & Renew Trainer in Restorative Yoga.
-
In 2015 I became a Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor after years of rigorous training and evaluation.
-
In 2018, my desire to learn about the therapeutic aspects of yoga took me to India to study Yoga Therapy at the Asana Andiappan College of Yoga & Research Centre in Chennai. At the end of the program, I was certified as a Yoga Therapist.
-
In 2019, I fulfilled my wish to attend and observe the medical classes at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, India.
My teaching
I started teaching Yoga in 2009.
My goals are to:
-
Teach with compassion and clarity, focusing on physical alignment, movement, and self-awareness.
-
Modify and adapt poses to achieve safe practice with stability and ease.
-
Seek guidance in the principles of nonviolence and truthfulness from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
-
Foster a nonaggressive approach to the practice and emphasize honoring the body through self-compassion and a positive attitude toward self and others.
-
Encourage students to discover yoga beyond the mat by incorporating its relevance to daily life.
My continuous learning
I continue to deepen my understanding of the human body and to learn how yoga can help restore health and alignment in mind and body. My own journey of healing has been a great source of learning and it makes me a compassionate teacher. I am passionate about sharing my knowledge and practice with others so that they too could experience healing through yoga.