Name & Hometown:
Valerie Byrd, Plymouth MI
Who or What inspired you to be a Yoga Instructor ?
I attended my first yoga class at Deerfield Spa, in East Stroudsburg, PA, and my instructor Kate, (who was still there till they closed, 30 years later), was so loving, taught an evening restorative yoga class, and I fell in love with yoga. Several years later, I took a yoga immersion, for myself, because my continued practice brought me so much joy. During that 2-year journey I felt the need to share my joy with the world.
Describe your style of yoga:
Compassionate, accessible
What’s your favorite yoga pose ?
Tree pose, I love the unsteadiness and wavering movements.
How has being a member of YAGD helped you in your yoga career
I joined YAGD as I’d stopped teaching due to several injuries and surgeries and was ready to start again. Then life happened and I need another knee replacement. But being active with the group kept yoga a part of my life, and I participated in meetings and practiced, and, it has helped me think of the future.
I’m signed up for and will soon complete a wonderful 300-hr teacher Training Program given by Breathe for Change, focusing on teaching through a Trauma Informed Lens, for Equity,
Inclusion and Social Justice. Very powerful stuff, a different way to viewing yoga., and very different from my initial eastern philosophy 200-hr training.
I’d love to share more one day, but you can imagine why I was drawn to the program.
Do you have a favorite yoga story from your teaching experience ?
I taught through Trenton Community Education for years, and while I’ve shed many tears during certain asanas, it was the first time I had a class of tearful students to manage. It started with one, but grew, louder and openly. I carried boxes of tissue with me, so I covered all bases. Several of the students knew each other and it wasn’t just the body holding trauma, as I later learned, but the sound of Eternal OM was greatly appreciated and grounding.
Is there anything else you would like to add, like family… hobbies… karma yoga… or other professions ?
I am a lifelong learner and traveler. I am an Elected Official, Precinct 8 Delegate. I will probably retire from my full-time employment as an Environmental Engineer in the next year. My desire is to have more time to provide yoga workshops and subbing, supporting church activities, working with the interfaith council, creating interracial unity through yoga via the women’s groups, support grassroots political efforts, working on local and federal campaigns.