My journey with yoga began when I was a teenager, learning asanas simply to move and feel lighter. However, as the years unfolded, my practice slipped into the background. Yet in moments of stress or uncertainty, I found myself instinctively returning to the mat simply to reconnect with myself.

Eventually, this calling to explore yoga—and life—more deeply led me to the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at the Mount Madonna Institute. Guided by teachers in the lineage of Baba Hari Dass, I discovered that yoga is far more than movement—it is a lifelong path of awareness, balance, and inner freedom.

Training challenged me in ways I didn’t expect. It asked me to be patient, to be consistent, to let go of perfectionism, and to trust the wisdom of my own body. I learned not only about alignment and anatomy but about compassion, presence, and the deeper purpose of the practice. And perhaps most importantly, I learned how to hold space—gently, intentionally, and with respect for each person’s unique journey.

As I continued with the 300-hour Advanced Training, deepening my study of the Yoga Sutras and committing to a daily practice, slowly and subtly, things shifted: my body grew stronger and pain-free, my mind became quieter, and a sense of grounded peace began to weave itself into my everyday life.

Still, yoga is not something I have mastered—it is something I continue to learn from every single day. With each practice, I understand a little more about patience, presence, and what it means to live with intention. My journey from student to teacher is still unfolding, and I’m grateful to share it with a growing community of students who show up with courage and openness.

If you are reading this and thinking about beginning your own yoga journey, know this:

You don’t need flexibility.
You don’t need experience.
You simply need willingness.

The rest unfolds with time.