We're so excited to welcome our newest teacher, Rachel VerValin, into the Mighty fold! She grew up near Binghamton and lived in Baltimore, Dallas and Brooklyn, before she called Ithaca her home. We wanted to know about her love of yoga and how she spends her time off the mat. Meet her in person this month on Wednesdays at 7:30pm in our new Pay-What-You-Can classes.
Mighty Yoga: How did you come to yoga?
Rachel: I've always been athletic, really enjoy my own quiet time, and love being in nature. Originally I found the principles of yoga through other sports - running track in high school, I realized I could control my heart rate with the breath. Competitive cheerleading gave me body awareness, and being a flyer (the girl up in the air) taught me the importance of a steady gaze (drishti) to maintain balance. Softball was great - there would be a super stressful moment, with runners on, 2 outs, I would be up to bat, and before I stepped up to the plate I would say to myself "the sky is blue, and it will still be blue no matter the outcome of this game." When I began to take Pilates and yoga in college I really enjoyed the linking of the breath to the body, and the use of breath to control and steady the mind, while getting a great workout.
MY: What do you like about Power Yoga?
Rachel: I love the fluid movement experienced in Vinyasa Flow - it's like a beautiful dance with your life energy. I had always felt something in my yoga classes, and then one day my teacher in Dallas, TX mentioned the prana life force flowing within us, and how this was linked to the breath. It all made sense! Using the flow to really feel the body and get inside helps to release and steady the mind, and then we can just hum through life with light and love.
MY: How has your yoga changed since the first time you practiced?
Rachel: I've become more humble. I've realized that it's not (really, it's not!) about flexibility of the body, but about flexibility of the mind. Humans use such a small percentage of our wonderful brains, and we create such great and magnificent things. Yoga helps to open up another part, peel back another layer - it's exciting to think about. We all have the ability and the control to change whatever we truly want, we just need clear access to a calm mind through yoga as a moving meditation.
MY: Why did you decide to teach yoga?
Rachel: I had always thought about teaching - I just wasn't sure what to teach. During the 2008 recession I was let go from my corporate 9-5 job as a graphic designer, and was able to dedicate all of my time to getting myself healthy and happy. I had been practicing yoga regularly, and I began to go to class almost every day. This daily yoga practice began to leak more and more into my daily life. I decided that this was what I wanted to teach - I knew that people needed the peace and calm I was feeling from yoga. I love to learn about the brain, body, mind, spirit, and share that with others, whether it is on or off the mat.
MY: Any tips for someone new to yoga?
Rachel: Honor YOUR body today - not the teachers, or the person next to you. We all have our own gifts and talents - I promise you that just because you can't touch your toes (and maybe you never will) does not make you less of a student of yoga. Yoga is about being truly present in life. Bring the calm you feel on the mat out into your daily life. Start to think about things happening because you want them to, not because "the world" made them happen to you - you are in control. Oh, and bring a towel to class - we will sweat!
MY: What is your favorite pose or poses? Why?
Rachel: If you can only practice one pose per day, please pick Trikonasana (triangle). This is a pose that encompasses so much, and is great for the body. There's a slight hip opening, a hamstring stretch, a heart opening, a spinal rotation. It's fun, and easy to remember for beginners - the pose looks like a triangle. I also really enjoy finding the tipping point in arm balances. It's great to find that perfect spot between grace and face plant :)
MY: What do you like to do off the yoga mat?
Rachel: I really love spending time with my animals, Mr. Leo the cat, and Vera the dog. Vera and I go hiking, hang out on the front porch reading books, and making things. I really love crafts: quilting, card making, sewing, knitting, pottery. I also really love to garden, cook, and bake. I try to make time to travel as much as possible - I've been all over the US, and internationally travelled to Puerto Rico, Spain, and Japan. I would love to go see Germany, Italy, India, Thailand, Bali - any place really!
MY: What fuels you?
Rachel: Bringing light and love to people, things, and situations each day. Walking with grace and dignity.
"I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel" - Maya Angelou
Rachel: I've always been athletic, really enjoy my own quiet time, and love being in nature. Originally I found the principles of yoga through other sports - running track in high school, I realized I could control my heart rate with the breath. Competitive cheerleading gave me body awareness, and being a flyer (the girl up in the air) taught me the importance of a steady gaze (drishti) to maintain balance. Softball was great - there would be a super stressful moment, with runners on, 2 outs, I would be up to bat, and before I stepped up to the plate I would say to myself "the sky is blue, and it will still be blue no matter the outcome of this game." When I began to take Pilates and yoga in college I really enjoyed the linking of the breath to the body, and the use of breath to control and steady the mind, while getting a great workout.
MY: What do you like about Power Yoga?
Rachel: I love the fluid movement experienced in Vinyasa Flow - it's like a beautiful dance with your life energy. I had always felt something in my yoga classes, and then one day my teacher in Dallas, TX mentioned the prana life force flowing within us, and how this was linked to the breath. It all made sense! Using the flow to really feel the body and get inside helps to release and steady the mind, and then we can just hum through life with light and love.
MY: How has your yoga changed since the first time you practiced?
Rachel: I've become more humble. I've realized that it's not (really, it's not!) about flexibility of the body, but about flexibility of the mind. Humans use such a small percentage of our wonderful brains, and we create such great and magnificent things. Yoga helps to open up another part, peel back another layer - it's exciting to think about. We all have the ability and the control to change whatever we truly want, we just need clear access to a calm mind through yoga as a moving meditation.
MY: Why did you decide to teach yoga?
Rachel: I had always thought about teaching - I just wasn't sure what to teach. During the 2008 recession I was let go from my corporate 9-5 job as a graphic designer, and was able to dedicate all of my time to getting myself healthy and happy. I had been practicing yoga regularly, and I began to go to class almost every day. This daily yoga practice began to leak more and more into my daily life. I decided that this was what I wanted to teach - I knew that people needed the peace and calm I was feeling from yoga. I love to learn about the brain, body, mind, spirit, and share that with others, whether it is on or off the mat.
MY: Any tips for someone new to yoga?
Rachel: Honor YOUR body today - not the teachers, or the person next to you. We all have our own gifts and talents - I promise you that just because you can't touch your toes (and maybe you never will) does not make you less of a student of yoga. Yoga is about being truly present in life. Bring the calm you feel on the mat out into your daily life. Start to think about things happening because you want them to, not because "the world" made them happen to you - you are in control. Oh, and bring a towel to class - we will sweat!
MY: What is your favorite pose or poses? Why?
Rachel: If you can only practice one pose per day, please pick Trikonasana (triangle). This is a pose that encompasses so much, and is great for the body. There's a slight hip opening, a hamstring stretch, a heart opening, a spinal rotation. It's fun, and easy to remember for beginners - the pose looks like a triangle. I also really enjoy finding the tipping point in arm balances. It's great to find that perfect spot between grace and face plant :)
MY: What do you like to do off the yoga mat?
Rachel: I really love spending time with my animals, Mr. Leo the cat, and Vera the dog. Vera and I go hiking, hang out on the front porch reading books, and making things. I really love crafts: quilting, card making, sewing, knitting, pottery. I also really love to garden, cook, and bake. I try to make time to travel as much as possible - I've been all over the US, and internationally travelled to Puerto Rico, Spain, and Japan. I would love to go see Germany, Italy, India, Thailand, Bali - any place really!
MY: What fuels you?
Rachel: Bringing light and love to people, things, and situations each day. Walking with grace and dignity.
"I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel" - Maya Angelou
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