Yoga Nidra Studio in Brooklyn

I feel blessed to be part of the journey of some incredible Yogis.  To witness their personal transformation, and watch them sharing this practice and helping themselves and others is beyond gratifying.  A few years back, a lovely young lady and yoga student named Stephanie embarked on Yoga Teacher Training with me.  When you meet her you fall in love with the New York accent, the straight forward talk, the hilarious wit, charm and genuine kindness.  Beyond this reality was another reality of a storm that many people face, grief, in her case it was the death of her beloved Fiance.  For many people, grief finds its healing through Yoga.  For Stephanie, her beloved fiance suffered with depression & took his own life.

To be part of this inspirational young ladies journey as she enrolled in Yoga Teacher Training with me is something I will forever be grateful for.  The first day of that Teacher Training, she shared that she was doing the course so she could find healing.  I knew what she was dealing with but chose to not draw attention to her reality and stick to the task of hers and everyone's Teacher Training experience.  While some of her fellow Yogis lightheartedly found me to be "the Pusher" which I admit to bring the challenge, Stephanie was receptive to every experience.  While I am aware you can do Yoga Teacher Training anywhere and get a certificate, my goal is to bring a healing experience that challenges you mind-body-spirit, so that you can grow, and go on to help others with a compassionate and humble heart.  No Mud, No Lotus.

In my view, Stephanie was an inspiration to her fellow yogis.  She had an emotional challenge that not to many people face.  She courageously would travel to the Bronx from Brooklyn, knowing each time she would pass the train stop where her beloved breathed his last breath.  She would participate in every asana class, every workshop that challenged her physically, emotionally, and mentally and came out victorious.  At her Yoga TT graduation, Stephanie shared her story with the group, and how she wanted to heal so she could help her parents see she is taking steps to triumph above her grief, she had the entire room erupt in tearful applause.  She experienced the healing power of Yoga and has now gone on to open her own Yoga Studio in Brooklyn, where she will give back and inspire many.  With the sole goal to give back to the community, to spread compassion and awareness that Yoga is bigger than a physical exercise, I am so proud to have this connection with this young lady.  I am grateful to have her as a student and friend.  The thing I love about her is she does not try to pretend or become the Yoga Cliche of Yogis, she remains true to being a NYC Mets Fan, walking for the Suicide Awareness Annual March, maintaining her loyalty as a Met Clubber to her favorite band Metallica, and sipping her Starbucks concoctions all the while quoting the Yoga Sutras to inspire people to be more compassionate to all living beings.

I know the Brooklyn Dyker Heights community will be booming with Yoga Mats in no time.  People will be grateful to have this straight talking Yogini teach them how to find healing with Yoga, especially because she is living proof of the healing benefits.

You can find this beautiful Yogi Stephanie at her Studio YOGA NIDRA.  She will be opening this Saturday May 11th: 9am vinyasa, 11am yoga nidra, 1pm vinyasa, 3pm yoga nidra! 

Find her on Facebook to get her updates and in lieu of Mothers Day feel free to bring your Mom to class this Saturday and Sunday, and she gets the class for half off!
 
Yoga Nidra Studio is located at 7217 13th Ave. in Dyker Heights.
While this New Moon and Taurus Solar Eclipse weekend marks the official opening of classes at Yoga Nidra, there will also be a GRAND OPENING BASH on June 1st and Stephanie will be hosting the 200Hr Yoga Teacher Training program this August for all those interested in a life changing experience. ~ Om Shanti