Why Yoga?

As always, I share my thoughts when inspiration strikes. Lately, what’s been inspiring me is the question: Why Yoga?

Join me as I take you on a journey down memory lane…

Why do we practice yoga as we know it on the mat? What are we getting out of it? What’s the intention? What drives us to roll out our mat day after day?

What is that inner calling—that pull that makes you wake up and show up for your practice?

Maybe your doctor recommended it, or a loved one encouraged you to try. Maybe the stiffness in your body told you it was time to stretch. Or perhaps it’s that one hour you devote entirely to yourself—a chance to disconnect from your phone, computer and outside world and give yourself the gift of presence.

If you're like me, you may have started practicing yoga without fully understanding its depth. My journey as a yoga student began at 20 years old, drawn not only to the physical practice but to the spiritual essence of yoga. I felt there was a void within me, and so began my search for meaning and connection.

In the ‘90s, there was no internet and no social media—only space, and perhaps more time. Time for self-exploration, for getting lost in bookstores and temples, and for truly immersing oneself in places that nourished the soul.

One of my favorite pastimes was wandering through metaphysical stores—browsing books on energy, healing, chakras, yoga, and ancient wisdom, collecting oils, artifacts, and everything that had the symbol Om on it caught my attention 🕉️

I’ll never forget walking into my first yoga class at the Integral Yoga Center in New York City—a spiritual yoga studio, ashram, and the oldest yoga studio in NYC to date. More than just a refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city, it felt like stepping into another world—a sacred space where spirituality was woven into every detail.

The bookstore overflowed with wisdom, its shelves packed with ancient texts and spiritual teachings. The air carried the rich scent of incense, mingling with the warm, comforting aroma of basmati rice drifting from the organic food market next door.

And then, there was the class itself.

My instructor, dressed in all white with a turban, carried an energy that was both soft-spoken yet deeply empowered. I, on the other hand, was young and out of place, surrounded by seasoned yogis. The poses felt uncomfortable, my body resisted, and I kept checking the clock, waiting for it to be over.

Sitting in meditation was just as challenging as the asana practice itself—an introduction to a concept that seemed so whoo whoo and esoteric.

But something shifted every time I stepped off my mat. I couldn’t put words to it, but I felt different. Lighter. More at peace.

And so, I kept going back.

Then came my Bikram Yoga phase—a completely different experience. After work, I would take the subway across town to practice in a bright, packed, and undeniably stinky room, drawn in by the intensity, discipline, heat, and endurance. The challenge became part of the allure, and over time, I watched my body transform—growing more flexible, stronger, and more resilient.

After each class, I felt high—a natural, euphoric state that kept pulling me back for more.

Fast forward to the late ‘90s—a few years after my parents bought a condo in Naples, Florida—I found a yoga studio to practice at, Studio 41. There, I met Debi Grilo, a teacher who left a lasting impression on me.

And now, nearly 30 years later, her studio, Practice Yoga Naples, is where I teach and curate the retail space. Who would have known?

Her classes, especially the ones incorporating wall yoga with an apparatus and straps—a method inspired by B.K.S. Iyengar’s rope wall system—opened my body in ways I had never experienced before. Iyengar’s approach, originally influenced by the use of hooks in the wall for support and alignment, created a completely new dimension of depth and expansion in my practice.

Every visit to Naples meant returning to that studio, deepening my connection to yoga, my body, and the practice that, unbeknownst to me at the time, would one day shape my path. it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

From Student to Teacher—Taking the Leap

As the years passed, yoga remained a constant in my life, but after having children and moving to Naples permanently, my practice took a backseat. Motherhood consumed my energy, and while I would stumble into a yoga class every now and then, I was no longer consistent.

But something was missing.

When I returned to my mat after a long hiatus, I realized how much my body, mind, and spirit craved the practice and study of spirituality. I got out my books again and started diving deep. It wasn’t just about movement—it was about my connection to something greater.

In 2015, I took a leap and enrolled in teacher training—not because I wanted to teach yoga, but because I was craving deeper knowledge. I wanted to immerse myself in the wisdom and philosophy of yoga, to better understand what had been calling me all these years. At the time, I had no idea that this decision would change my life.

This training dove deep into the Chakras, introduced me to the Koshas, Yoga Sutras, and the Eight Limbs of Yoga. It was content-heavy and challenging to fully grasp, yet I absorbed it all like a sponge—fascinated by these ancient teachings and their profound applications. Even now, I continue to study, reflect, and integrate these teachings, constantly exploring how they shape yoga—both on and off the mat..

After completing my training, I fulfilled my obligation to teach four community classes, but I had no intention of teaching beyond that. Those four mornings, standing in front of a room full of strangers, were terrifying. To say I was out of my comfort zone is an understatement and a feeling I thought I would never overcome.

I had butterflies, knots in my stomach, and a heart racing faster than my thoughts. The idea of leading a class felt intimidating—who was I to guide others when so many experienced teachers were already out there?

But life had other plans.

“Sometimes the life that spirit wants for you looks completely different than what you had imagined. Embrace the unfolding …that is the mystery of your existence.“ ~ Farah M. Saddiq

Around that same time, the place where I worked closed its doors, leaving me at a crossroads. As a single mom soon to be without a job, I faced a choice—take a leap of faith or stay in fear. But because fear was not an option, I turned to the very tools this ancient practice had instilled in me—TRUST. And to this day, Trust and Faith remains the solid ground I stand on.

So, I took a chance.

I started sending emails to local private communities and spas, hoping to find opportunities to teach. Slowly, responses trickled in, and doors began to open.Then one day, as I was closing up my retail store, Debi Grilo walked in. She asked what I had been up to, and I casually mentioned that I had just completed my teacher training. Surprised, she asked, “What’s next?” I shrugged and said, “At the moment… nothing!”

That night, she called me and asked, “Would you like to take over the Monday morning Gentle Class at Green Monkey?”

My initial reaction? "No, I can’t. I’m not ready."

But my soul whispered, "Yes, this is your path."

We agreed that I would teach a "tryout" class for Debi and the teacher whose spot I would be filling. I was terrified—my mind racing, my hands shaking—but I reminded myself: It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just be you.

When the class ended, I looked up to see tears in their eyes. They weren’t tears of critique—they were tears of joy and recognition. They had witnessed something in me that I wasn’t ready to see in myself.

That Monday class quickly turned into two classes a week, then three, then a full schedule of classes across multiple studios and communities.

Then came Beach Yoga—an opportunity offered to me by a teacher who had built a dedicated following on the beach before deciding to move back to Chicago with her family.

And so, Beach Yoga on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays was born—now going strong for eight years.

“Faith means to trust what you can’t see, Fear means to doubt what you can’t see. Both require the same energy and ask you to invest in the unknown.” ~ Vex King

Where the Path Has Led Me

Yoga continued to expand my curiosity. In 2018, I completed my second 200-hour teacher training with Debi Grilo at Practice Yoga. Staying true to myself and honoring my path as a facilitator, I knew that Power Yoga was not where I was meant to share my knowledge. Instead, my calling was in meditation, mindfulness, and the art of slowing down—guiding my students into deeper states of awareness and presence.

With this in mind, I pursued Yin Yoga training, and a few years later, I completed a 100-hour certification as a Yoga Nidra facilitator. It was at the Amrit Institute, under the teachings of Yogi Desai, that I encountered the ancient wisdom of Yoga Nidra—a practice infused with a magnitude of spirituality I could never have imagined receiving.

During this training, the Koshas were reintroduced to me yet again. But at the time, I still wasn’t fully ready to conceptualize or embody this profound roadmap of our existence.

Over the years, I’ve come to realize:

We grow as our practice grows, and our practice evolves as we do.

Continuing to expand my toolbox of magic and the gifts I offer my students, Breathwork is the most recent healing modality I have immersed myself in. From the very first time I was guided through a Breathwork experience, something within me awakened. With each subsequent session—the second, third, and beyond—my curiosity deepened until I knew with certainty:✨ I need to learn how to share this medicine with the world. ✨

Breathwork has the power to help those who feel stuck, closed off, struggling, or trapped in their own minds and bodies. It is a tool for release, expansion, and transformation—one that I am honored to now facilitate as a certified Elemental Rhythm Breathwork practitioner.

Yoga is timeless. It goes beyond the physical postures and into the very essence of who we are. It is a lifelong journey of peeling back layers, uncovering our truth, and finding a path that is uniquely our own.

A Deeper Understanding: The Koshas, Yoga Nidra & Breathwork

When I first learned about the Koshas in teacher training, they felt abstract—just another layer of complex information. But over time, and more recently, my desire for deeper understanding brought me back to them. I began to see that the Koshas are the missing link—a framework that ties everything together in our yoga practice and beyond.

The Koshas teach us that we are more than just a physical body—we are multi-layered beings, moving through the world with a physical, energetic, mental, wisdom, and bliss body. Understanding these layers deepens our yoga practice and helps us better navigate who we are and why we are here.

From a Yogic perspective, the whole human experience—our body, energy, and mind complex—is divided into five layers. Take, for example, the Chakras—the seven main energy centers in the body that regulate our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. They are often difficult to grasp because they can’t be seen or physically touched.

Through the lens of the Koshas, we understand that the Chakras reside within the Pranamaya Kosha—the Energy Body or Vital Sheath, where prana (life force energy) flows. This realization helps us bridge the physical with the unseen, much like the Koshas themselves guide us inward through layers of existence.

In addition to Asana practice (yoga postures) and Yogic Breathwork (Pranayama), Yoga Nidra and Breathwork are two of the most powerful tools for accessing the deeper layers of our being. These practices guide us beyond the physical body, offering space to connect with the subtle energy and the inner wisdom that reside within each of us.

🔹 Yoga Nidra guides us through the subtle layers of the Koshas, leading us beyond the thinking mind and into deep states of awareness and integration. In the teachings of Yogi Desai, this practice allows us to release tension, dissolve limiting beliefs, and access profound states of stillness.

🔹 Breathwork works directly with the Pranamaya Kosha, clearing energetic blockages, regulating the nervous system, and rewiring subconscious patterns. By consciously working with the breath, we alter our mental, emotional, and energetic states, creating space for transformation and healing.

So the next time you step onto your mat, remember—the physical is just the entry point. The asanas are a doorway, but they are only the tip of the iceberg.

✨ The true magic of yoga reveals itself in how we integrate the practice into our daily lives. ✨

The physical asanas remind us that we are embodied beings, that our body is a sacred home for the soul. But the journey of yoga is always about coming back to center—to the place within us that is already whole, already free, already at peace. it stand out