Who am I and what do I think I’m doing here?

You have a right to know the answers to this question, for if you gleam any insight from my offerings, it is good to know where they’re coming from.

For those of you who want hard facts up front, know that I have invested great effort, time, and resources in training with some of the very best yoga instructors in the world, most notably my primary teacher and founder of Anusara® yoga, John Friend. I truly love attending these gatherings of sheer talent, and am constantly traveling to yoga events to deepen my own practice and my skills as a yoga instructor.

This reflects in my teaching, as I now endeavor to honor my teachers by uplifting others. I have over 1000 hours of training (this is quite respectable in the yoga world) with internationally recognized and locally adored teachers. I am a licensed Anusara-Inspired™ yoga teacher, and as such I teach profoundly playful yoga with therapeutic alignment.

In addition to regular classes I have taught workshops over the years on topics from “Exploring the Chakras” to “Yoga Therapy”. My Sunshine Sunday yoga classes are legendary wherever I offer them, combining challenging asana, meditation, pranayama and restorative yoga for a full spectrum experience. I have also assisted many individuals privately to empower themselves by aligning therapeutically to find freedom from pain.

I am, first and foremost, a student. Though I recognize all beings and nature to be my teachers, there are a few I would like to name:

I have studied extensively with John Friend, founder of Anusara yoga, and am humbly grateful to call him my teacher. Others who have influenced my yogic path profoundly include Shane Perkins, Patrick Creelman, Denise Benitez, Elizabeth Rainey, Desiree Rumbugh, Amy Ippoliti, and Cat McCarthy. I also study under the renowned healer, Scott Marmorstein, and celebrated Philosophy Professor Douglas Brooks.

All my life I’ve been drawn toward the mysterious and magical.

At first I found it only in fantasy and was disillusioned with the ‘real world’. However, after many twists, turns and tumbles I found my true path and life has revealed itself to be full of wonder and true magic.

I can’t tell you how much that means to me – that life is full of magic and beauty! This is why I write, teach, sing, and otherwise share everything I’ve got to give. Because I want everyone else to discover the freedom that this yoga offers, in whatever way is best for them.

To me, it isn’t enough to do yoga on the mat, or to meditate every day – these things are of great importance, yet my full dharma or mission in this life is to give my best every day. This means every time I stumble along the path I quickly realign so that my integrity is true and the great lineage of masters whose teachings I follow are honored. And it means that whatever talents I have, I use them in service to others for the highest good of all. Living like this, in service of the highest, brings me great joy as I celebrate life on the beautiful playground of Earth.

• Do you have a question about who I am or what I’m about? Please post a comment below and I’ll give you an answer.