Laura NicoleYoga InstructorHey, y'all! Don't be fooled by the serious photo- I'm super lighthearted and goofy. Our classes are dense, yes, but we also smile a lot and laugh through our struggles. Seriousness brings on tension, and I am not about to encourage all that!
A little about my journey- after being told I would likely never run again after years of abuse I put on my body with contact sports and competitive running, I started doing yoga on, really, a whim. I won't lie- it irritated the hell out of me at first. Sitting still wasn't my thing, and RELAXING was not in my wheelhouse. I was meant for POWER, baby! Oh, yeah, but I couldn't touch my toes... Eek. Little did I know, my strength would compound, and my injuries would subside as soon as I learned that to truly strengthen, I had to be aware of the muscles I was contracting and getting in the way. I had to learn to be gentle to be stronger. Who woulda thunk! I also learned that by repetition of proper alignment, I could re-teach my body to have better habits, which would heal all those years of abuse. I now run multiple half marathons a year, and some are even straight up mountains. Yes, I am a little crazy. I'm a "hands-on" teacher, meaning I will adjust your limbs, putting your body in proper alignment. It's a gentle aid that most of my students really love, but if you're not into it, I am more than happy to encourage your own, more internal practice. Everyone is different, and that is something to celebrate. <3 Meditation is important to me. I can't stress enough how much body awareness comes from really connecting with your mind and breath. All my classes start with a short meditation at the beginning, and a relaxing savasana at the end. |