GAYLE JANN
I have always loved movement. Kayaking, skiing, running, tennis, swimming, diving have shaped my understanding of movement and the mind/ body connection.
In my first yoga class the teacher talked about the breath, which I quickly dismissed in my mind as unimportant. I only wanted to focus on the physical poses. It took a long time for me to realize the importance of the breath and how the breath brings the pose to life, and in many cases makes getting into the pose possible.
Taking dance at the Martha Graham Studio in New York City taught me how to work deeply in my body and muscles. It was such an awakening to be sweating from just doing movements in a seated position.
When I moved to Asheville in 1998 I began practicing yoga seriously and got my Yoga Teacher Certification in 2000 from Asheville Yoga Center. Shortly after that I was introduced to Anusara yoga. The rich enthusiasm of the Anusara teaching was infectious and I was immediately hooked. Since then I have studied with many Anusara teachers including John Friend, Deirdre Smith Gilmer, Joe Taft, Sianna Sherman, Desiree Rumbaugh, Darren Rhodes, and Martin and Jordan Kirk.
I went through a period of a few years where I was so busy sitting in front of a computer that my yoga practice slackened and I paid the price with a partially frozen shoulder. At first I did not even realize I had lost so much range of motion and strength in my shoulder until I started doing yoga again. Then it was immediately apparent. It is amazing how easy it is to slip into a more sedentary lifestyle and move with very little range of motion.
I was determined to heal myself and mostly through yoga and using the principles of Anusara I regained complete use and strength of my shoulder. This has shown me how powerful yoga can be as therapy.
I began teaching yoga as a way of going deeper into my own practice and as a way of sharing yoga with others. It is so exciting for me to see and feel the vibrancy in my student's poses during class. Teaching yoga has been a great gift for me.
In 2008 I started Yoga at Your Place. I want to bring yoga to the workplace and to private homes where people can experience customized yoga instruction. From my journey of healing my own frozen shoulder, I can understand how to help people heal themselves. My mission is to share the benefits of yoga and to continue learning more about yoga and helping others.
Namaste
Goethe