“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.  There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.  We are all meant to shine, as children do.  And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear; our presence automatically liberates others.”   -- Nelson Mandela

I was born in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin and moved to Greenwood, Mississippi while still in elementary school it was during this time that I first found yoga through television and books.  I didn’t understand much of what I saw or read but I liked the ideal of loving on such a large scale that you devoted your life to service… and the poses where fun and different.  After I hurt myself doing a pose and Grandma promptly said, “Stop that”.  So, I stopped and lost yoga for a long time until one day a girlfriend asked me to go to yoga with her and again I found yoga.  I felt alive and as if an old friend had been discovered.  Unfortunately the cost of classes and lack of a vehicle cut my practice short.  The seed that had been planted so long ago had not died.  With sadness, I promised myself that I would return when I could. 

I kept my promise and at the time when I most needed it I walked into a yoga class and it all began again.  One class weekly turned into two classes and so on and so forth… many years later my practice continues in many ways – teaching is one of my favorites.  I learn so much - my soul feels full and happy.  There is nothing like realizing that what you learned as a child and relearned on the yoga mat translates to someone else in a way that is all their own and through this experience our journeys cross and evolve as we teach each other to breath fully, move deeper and slowly, we begin to move into balance.

 I am the first African American to be certified and registered as a yoga teacher in the State of Wisconsin – if this is not true, please let me know.  I was certified by Kim Schwartz and the Temple of Kriya and continue to take teacher’s training classes in many styles of yoga whenever possible.  I have taken classes with Kim Schwartz, David Life, Sharon Gannon, Rolf Gates, Paul Grilley, Anna Forrest, Rodney Yee, Sri K. Patabhi Jois, David Swenson, and the list goes on…

 I would like to thank all of my teachers past and present.

A Few Talented Local Yoga Teachers:

Meg Galarza, Yoga One Studio, Cedarburg

Kristi Weisenberger, Yama Yoga

Marietta Pucillo, Yama Yoga, Third Ward - Milwaukee

Tracy Hart, Yama Yoga, Third Ward

Sherry Liebscher, UWMilwaukee

Sarah Filzen, Solcare

Catherine Ross, Wauwatosa