What is your favourite yoga pose? Which one challenges you the most?
My favourite yoga pose is triangle! I love the length and lift that I get in my side body and just crave that heart-opening stretch! I find it to be a whole body pose - I find length through my core and across my heart, while simultaneously feeling this delicious stretch through my hamstrings. I find back strengthening and balance postures to be the most challenging for me. It’s not necessarily a lack of skill that makes it challenging; I just find that mentally I have to really focus and prepare myself for the series. My expression of balance postures especially can change from one day to the next and I really need to work on letting that go and just being in the moment, however my body shows up that day!
What has been (or continues to be) your biggest challenge in yoga?
My biggest challenge has always been savasana. I’m terrible at it!! I use the time to plan my night/day/week and can’t wait to get up and get on to the next commitment. I have a very busy, active life and I know I need savasana to help me find some balance - I continue to work on this!
What one piece of advice would you give to someone who is considering starting yoga?
DO IT!! We are all beginners at something once, but after that first time - it’s just like riding a bike. That awkward feeling on your mat wondering if you are doing it right, or if you look funny and everyone is looking at you - we’ve all been there, and I can promise you no one cares what you’re doing or how you look, but you!! Yoga is that place in the world where there is no judgment, no criticism, no competitions and certainly no beauty contests. We’re all hot and sweaty and breathing together - it doesn’t get much better than that. Enjoy the process of learning and never forget how that feels.
What other interests do you have outside yoga?
When I am not teaching, training for triathlon, or doing my own practice, you can currently find me in the Neurovascular Research lab at Western University where I am working towards my PhD in Exercise Physiology. I swim, bike and run more days out of the week than I don’t, and I love every busy minute of it
What is your most inspiring moment in yoga?
I don’t think I have one defining moment in yoga but rather a series of moments that make me stop and appreciate my life and my position in that moment. The practice of yoga and the people I have met along the way have helped me through some of the toughest times in my life, and that is something I will always be incredibly grateful for. My current role as a hot yoga teacher at Yoga Shack warms my heart to the very core. London amazes me. We are such a large city, but you would never know it. The amount of love and support I have felt from this community both as a student, and as a teacher has been overwhelming. We have a lot of heart in this town and there’s so much love going around. I’m exactly where I want to be
What first drew you to yoga and what keeps you coming back?
Yoga came into my life through an awkward transition and a personal struggle with running related injuries. Now, yoga is in my blood and I live to be in hot room getting sweaty and stretchy as often as I can. I feel grounded and more myself in that space than anywhere else in life. I make it my priority to get on my mat at least once per week (I wish it was more!). I would be lost without my own personal practice.
How has yoga helped you “off the mat”?
Yoga has helped me to through some dark days and brought sunshine to days when there was none. I appreciate the sense of calm that yoga has given me and the realization that I need to slow down every once and a while to keep going at full throttle the rest of the time!