Name & Hometown: I was born & raised in central NW Detroit. I now live in
S. Rockwood, in northern Monroe County.
Who inspired me: Lillias Folan on PBS ! Plus, my 1st yoga instructor…in the
days of ‘Free University’ at WSU, in the late 1960’s. I enjoyed the poses & breath work…but it was the peace & centeredness that yoga brought to me, & how GOOD I felt after each class that got me hooked.
Describe my style of yoga: At this point of my life: Classic Yoga: gentle with
challenges for continuing students.
What’s my favorite pose: Several…depending on what’s going on with my body and mind when I wake up: Uttanasana: to help stretch my spine, legs & lower back in the mornings, AND to get blood to my brain ! LOL. Also, I love Sun Salutations, and always add variations as I go thru, depending on what’s tight, etc.
What brings me to the mat: The love of ‘feeling Good’ on several levels…but
especially being able to move with ease afterwards ! = ) = )
Where do I work: Currently, I am an independent contractor with 2 Recreation Departments:
- Grosse Ile: Tue: 2:00 – 3:30 pm at the Centennial Building
- Trenton: Wed: 6:00 – 7:30 pm at the Westfield Center
How has being a YAGD member helped me in my yoga career: Friendships with like-minded people! Workshops with nationally recognized leaders, as well as our own talented membership! There’s always something new to learn or hear a better way to express some aspect of yoga. Something I have ALWAYS appreciated about our Group is the “open-armed / inclusiveness” for ALL styles (versus only Iyengar, or Anusara, etc., etc.)
Do I have a favorite Yoga Story? A friend called me in 1984, asking “are you still interested in ‘that yoga thing’ ?” I said yes, and he told me about the YAGD Spring Yoga Day. As soon as I walked through the doors, I felt this incredible energy of peacefulness and Love. And I immediately knew I wanted to be part of this group! Back in the 1980s, there were not many ‘yoga schools’ as we now have. So when I applied to join, the YAGD committee suggested I study for 3 years under 3 different teachers (that was ‘the way’ we trained back then). So I studied under Karen Farkas, Kathleen Lund, & Jan Chekirda… and joined YAGD in 1987.
Is there anything else I would like to share: Because of a ‘collagen disease’ in 1971 when I was 23 years old, I spent 2 months on my back & a year on crutches. So, I switched my college major from PE to Therapeutic Recreation & acquired my Bachelor’s in 1974. As many of you know: I’m a true “Bionic Woman”: I’ve had 3 hip replacements AND both shoulders! The collagen disease left me with paper-thin cartilage in my right hip, which wore thru after 17 years. So I had my 1st hip replacement in 1989, the year before I married my Soul-mate…so I could dance at my wedding without any ‘hardware’. LOL THAT plastic lasted 21 years !! (the average is 15-16), so I had to have that partially replaced in 2010. …and then the left hip needed to be replaced because of all the compensation it did for all those years. My shoulder issues were from sports injuries before I was 23 years old (tennis & judo, respectively). I asked my surgeon for “yoga shoulders”, and he gave me a ‘2nd generation’ design (instead of the latest, 15th generation at that time), which not only allows me a full extension but also weight-bearing, for Down Dog, Plank, etc. These surgeries were in 2016 & 2017. Yoga skills of Mindfulness, ‘reading my body’ and, slowly exploring movement 1) gave me YEARS before I needed surgery, and 2) has helped with full recovery, for which I am eternally grateful! Yay Yoga !! = ) = )
A tidbit of advice if you have ANY scars: Use Shea butter, Cocoa butter, etc that melt upon contact with your skin. They nourish the deep layers of skin AND keep the scar tissue soft… so you can hopefully avoid fascial problems & pain with adhesions FROM those scars. (this is not common, but it CAN happen)