I was young at a time when no one talked about feelings, and mental health was never mentioned or valued the way it is now. To deal with (what I realize in retrospect was) crippling social anxiety and nervousness, I used drugs and alcohol. I once drank a mickey of vodka before having to do a live presentation in front of my class in high school. I wasn't aware there were other things one could do to handle the pressures of life. I did know that I wanted to be skinny, so when a friend invited me to go to an Ashtanga Yoga class instead of our usual aerobics class, I was interested in that (because being skinny was for some dumb reason something I obsessed about and constantly tried to be). If only I could take back the time and energy I spent thinking about how to be skinny, or worrying about if boys liked me....

 

I had no idea the way that one class would change my life forever. Even though I felt physically annihilated by the class, at the end when we were instructed to lie down and the teacher turned the lights off, I felt as though my body was floating and I had the most incredible sensation of peace and relaxation I'd never experienced. To this day I am not a person who enjoys overexerting myself, and I know many think Ashtanga is the "hard" yoga. For me, it's more about how the deep breathing calms my mind and makes me feel like my feet are on the ground. The movements, combined with the breathing is somewhat addictive, and nowadays I prefer to be addicted to this over anything else. I do yoga to care for my body and my mind, and I try to teach in a way that offers these values over the physical prowess or accomplishments. I do think if you're a strong physical person you will get a lot from the Ashtanga practice, but I also think it can be a very therapeutic and healing practice for those that simply want a better quality of life with a focus on health and well being. 

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I spent much of my 30's and 40's with yearly trips to India or California to study Ashtanga with teachers who impacted my life in different ways. My mother has been my greatest teacher in life, as she has consistently been an example of love, kindness and enthusiasm for life. 

 

In 2008 I was so lucky to be the 2nd, and final, owner of the Yoga Shala Calgary. This was for certain one of the most magical places in the City and losing it to Covid is forever one of the most heartbreaking events for myself and thousands of others. 

 

While I have mostly only practiced and taught Ashtanga Yoga for almost 25 years, I do so with a non-dogmatic approach and feel it should be fun, healthy, and available for everyone to enjoy. 

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