I took my first yoga class in 2014 when I was experiencing extreme back and shoulder discomfort caused by long hours of sitting at a desk. Having danced my whole life, I loved how yoga incorporated strength, mobility, fluidity, and cardio. Over the next three years, I would bounce around between various yoga studios in Houston, Texas.

Up to this point, I was doing yoga purely for the physical aspect… until June 2017.

I was lying in a restorative yoga workshop led by Dana Trixie Flynn, and as we laid in meditation, she read a poem by the Persian poet, Hafiz.

“I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being.”

Boom! Immediately I was flooded with emotions. Where did this come from? My life was FINE. Over the course of the weekend, I began to see that yoga was so much more than a physical practice, and so began my journey to get better connected to my mind and body.

Later that year, a friend introduced me to Robert Boustany (Founder of Pralaya Yoga) and Andrew Royal Dugas (Founder of Yoga Better.) This was a game-changer for me! I had finally found a style that left me feeling strong, flexible, and pain-free. Their classes challenged me both mentally and physically. I watched my body change before my eyes and for the first time ever realized how strong I truly am.

Three months later, I signed up for the Yoga Better Teacher Training with Andrew, and the rest is history!

After each class, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for the opportunity to be more connected to my mind and body. Yoga has given me a new lust for life!