I’m so excited to introduce you to this month’s new Curvy Yoga teachers!
Holly Ramsdell
Location: Naperville, IL
Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. Yoga is the constant in my life … no matter what is going on inside my body or my mind, yoga helps me to connect to that place within me that is whole and unchanging. Quite simply yoga brings me back to myself. My practice has taught me that when I am in tune with My True Self, there isn’t anything that I can’t get through. I may fall apart at times, but I know that ultimately I am a part of the world’s unifying energy and everything will be ok. Empowering my students with this knowledge is a never-ending source of joy for me.
Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? I love teaching yoga to people of all ages, shapes, sizes and abilities: from toddlers to teens to grandparents; beginners as well as the more experienced yogis. So the opportunity to create a safe and supportive environment for curvy yogis to come together and be a part of the yoga community is very exciting for me!
What can folks expect when they take a class from you? Because I teach both children and adults I like to bring an element of playfulness to my classes. We all have an inner child that wants permission to come out and play once in awhile! Along with this I also encourage my students to discover their strength, both internal and external. We are often times much stronger than we think we are! But most of all I give my students the opportunity to breathe, tune in, open up, let go and create space both within their body and their mind.
What has been your favorite part of the certification process? Working with Anna has given me an opportunity to uncover yet another layer of myself … and you just never know what surprises are lurking underneath those defenses! So what a blessing and a joy to have such a compassionate, patient, supportive friend to guide me as I continue on this yoga journey.
How can people get in touch with you? They can find me at the studio where I teach universalspirityoga.com, find me on Facebook or email me at holly.joy.yoga(at)gmail(dot)com.
Rachel Smith
Location: Denver & Boulder, CO
Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. I have been doing yoga forever (OK, maybe just since college…which is a really long time!). It is a huge part of my life. Through yoga, I have learned to love myself, and to connect with my best Self in ways I never could have imagined. After many years of fighting with my body, I went to counseling and began practicing yoga and meditation in earnest in the early 2000’s. Yoga and meditation allowed me to find compassion and love for myself, and to see myself as more than my body, and even more than my mind. It was through the healing power of yoga that I decided to go back to school and become a counselor! I now specialize in working with body image issues and eating disorders, and I love being a witness to healing in others! I am excited to incorporate yoga into my psychotherapy practice, and to branch out by beginning to teach yoga as a way to become more embodied and body-loving to more people! My teaching is informed by my deep connection with the Shambhava Yoga tradition, which emphasizes the meditation aspect of yoga. My teaching is deeply spiritual, while still being practical and real.
Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? My own journey has showed me that no matter what your body shape or size, or what your circumstances, yoga really is for everyone. I want to bring Curvy yoga to Colorado so that people who might have been intimidated by traditional yoga classes can find a welcoming, body-loving space to begin experiencing the benefits of yoga for themselves.
What can folks expect when they take a class from you? A fun, playful, experience that is also soulful and real.
What has been your favorite part of the certification process? I have enjoyed connecting with Anna! She is a wealth of ideas!
How can people get in touch with you? People can check out my website at www.imaginativecounseling.com, and can contact me through any of the options on my site.