Leesa Halverson - January 2021

---

Yoga was introduced to me in college after enrolling in a semester-long class for undergraduate credit. Unfortunately, a month before class started I had surgery on my right foot from a past gymnastics injury that started to bother my everyday lifestyle. My first few yoga classes I was unable to do everything, but to my surprise, my teacher was able to accommodate my lack of mobility with modifications. I eventually healed and was able to slowly move into more movements through faster healing that yoga offered my body. As I mentioned, I was a gymnast before my college years and I started to really miss the flipping upside down, the flexibility that I once had, and the joy from moving my body in a graceful dance. However, my ability was far from what it used to be, and many movements seemed to come at a cost now. But I found that a consistent yoga practice kept me from feeling like I was falling apart while also giving me a chance to get back to some of my favorite parts of being a gymnast. I also suffer from scoliosis in my lower back and yoga offers the pain relief I want and need. My many years of yoga practice later led me to wanting to further my knowledge in the philosophy of yoga. At the time, I was practicing in a studio that focused heavily on this and on the benefits of yoga in everyday life. A teacher training at the studio became available so I signed up. I thought I was signing up to just further my practice and learn more about the history but my teacher training was so much more, it was a step for me that was life changing emotionally, mentally, and physically. 

I moved to Denver in 2019, just 4 months before everything shut down for the pandemic. In 2020, I moved to Arvada and found Sol Yoga studio. I felt like I found more than just a yoga studio, I found a yoga home. 

I stumbled upon Sol Yoga when, gloriously enough, I was buying dog food across the parking lot.  I had tried yoga before, but only in bits and pieces, and it had never done much for me, but life was in a state of chaos and flux and it seemed like a good idea to try again.

I almost walked away after my first class, a Yin class with - at that time - a bunch of strangers.  Bursting unexplainably, to me at least, into tears in the midst of a half-frog was not quite the auspicious start to this journey that I was looking for.  Nevertheless, I decided to be open to the possibility that maybe that was exactly the start I needed, and came back a couple of days later.  There were no tears in that second class, but rather an incredible sense of calm and a frightening sense of potential.  Needless to say, I was back again the next day.  And the next.

As someone who struggles with stillness under the best of circumstances, it has been a daunting and incredibly powerful challenge: being asked to stay present, to focus, to do the work that stillness requires, to move in a way that honors the “me” that is more than just body or brain.  I am still so far from where I want to be, but I know now that I am on the path.  It is a path that varies - sometimes it is Yin or Restorative, other times a Hatha or Vinyasa, or even an intentional time for Meditation - but I know that I am becoming more of the person I want to be when I can prioritize at least four classes a week.  That may not always be feasible, and I am excited to learn more about how to make my practice meaningful all on my own, but the support for me - both from instructors and classmates - is crucial right now.

Several months ago, before starting this journey, I had scribbled on a piece of paper a list of things I wanted to feel present in my life.  Like most moments of inspiration, it got shoved in a notebook and forgotten about.  Just this weekend, I found it again and actually laughed out loud.  Connection.  Calm.  Strength.  Grounding.  Balance.  Breath.  Belief.  Community.  Who knew that, thanks to Sol Yoga, I could find and support all of those things - in my life, and on my mat.

I will always remember the pose that made me I fall in love with this practice - savasana. After putting my body through a challenging yoga class, nothing else felt as uniquely satisfying as existing in stillness. It's where I discovered a simple bliss that I couldn't find anywhere else, and I kept returning to the mat in search of the sweet taste of inner peace I would experience by the end of class.

My yoga journey began in 2004 when I replaced my chiropractor appointments with yoga classes after recovering from a breast reduction surgery. My doctor recommended yoga as a postoperative way to develop core strength, relieve my chronic back pain, and manage the overall health of my spine. So originally I turned to yoga for the physiological benefits which were nothing short of drastic - I lost 40 pounds, grew 2 inches taller, and I was completely free from the back pain I had been suffering for years. But something unexpected happened that was equally monumental. Yoga began to strengthen my ability to navigate through my complex mental health issues, and I continued to seek out classes to maintain the inner calm that I found when I committed to a regular practice.

Looking back over the past 14 years, it is unmistakable that yoga has been the north star consistently guiding the direction of my life. The periods of time where I felt the most lost and walked through my deepest inner darkness were unsurprisingly the only times I didn't have an established self-care routine. And yoga was the singular thing I would faithfully turn to, providing a vessel for me to tap into my dormant inner strength. This is the reason why I have now devoted my life to this practice of mindful living, and I have made the commitment to arrive on the mat every single day, regardless of how I feel. On the days where I'm on top of the world, I'll do a dozen Surya Namaskar Bs. Other days when I feel like crawling into a hole, I'll simply lie in Savasana and just breathe. My practice is constantly changing, but my steadfast devotional love of yoga is the reservoir from where I draw my strength.

I view myself first as a yoga student, and a yoga instructor second. My teaching style is an homage to the lineage of yoga teachers that all came before me and it is my mission to uphold sacred traditions that were passed down to me. I am immeasurably privileged to share and experience the benefits of yoga with other students, and feel honored to be a member of the beautiful community here at Sol Yoga.

I tried yoga for the first time when I was fifteen. I did not enjoy it. At the time, I was more into active and competitive sports(if any sports at all :D!). Since then, I slowly have learned to appreciate yoga much more. About four years ago, I took my first vinyasa class. I practiced for a couple of months and then stopped, and this continued for quite some time. In September of 2020, my husband and I moved to Arvada. I found out how close Sol Yoga studio is to my house, so I decided to visit the studio and see if I will be more consistent this time. Well, it has been more than eight months, and I still have not stopped practicing. I average between four and five classes a week. I tried different types of yoga at the studio, and they all are exceptional and can give you a lot, but my favorites are Upside Down Foundations and Vinyasa. My goal by the end of the year is to be able to do a handstand. I am sure with Lucy's help and mentorship, I will succeed in this! 

Andrea Nozykowski, 200RYT, 150RYT Yoga for Cancer Survivors instructor, and Yoga Nidra Instructor.  Andrea has been teaching yoga for nearly 20 years.  Her style and training is rooted in the Ashtanga Vinyasa lineage and teaching basic kindness- starting with how to be kind to ourselves. She began practicing yoga to help her through her mom’s breast cancer diagnosis and working a high-stress marketing job in Chicago.  She was hooked after one class and was amazed by how much it noticeably reduced her stress and changed her perspective on life.  She moved to San Diego, where she spent nearly a decade teaching yoga at the beach, training professional ballerinas to international jiu-jitsu champions. Although most of her training is rooted in a physical asana practice, she loves incorporating chakra education, meditation and pranayama in her classes.  She also loves teaching her students how to take their yoga off the mat, creating deeper relationships, managing stress and living life to its fullest!

March Student and teacher of the month - Jenny Warchesik  It’s hard to tell you my yoga story without telling you my life, as the two have become very intermingled and fairly inseparable.  I started taking yoga classes in my early 20’s after being in a car accident led to pain in my low back. I continued taking classes for the stress relief from a demanding job in Human Resources and life in general.  I found my first yoga home when I stumbled upon a small and humble studio at the end of a strip mall in Golden. The door from the street opened right into the classroom.  As life unfolds many changes occurred personally, professionally and physically, but my yoga practice remained. Yoga has helped me navigate the constant changes life brings and learn to accept there are things in this life that just cannot be controlled or directed no matter how much we want them. We can not control our external environment (including others) the only thing we can control is our perception, our way of reacting to and dealing with what is happening around us. Yoga has also taught me it’s OK to make mistakes. Practicing through injuries, I have learned that just because I could move my physical self into a posture, did not automatically mean that I should.  It has helped me through physical and emotional difficulties, and always meets me exactly where I am.  I completed my 200 hour Hatha training at my yoga home, Asana Studio in 2012, from five amazing mentors. I am still teaching the very first class I was gifted, with most of the same students attending! I also got to teach at my first yoga home. What an amazing feeling, to lead a class where I had taken so many. I have also completed a training in Yoga Nidra by Sri Devidas.  My goal when I teach is to always leave my students feeling better off after taking my class than they did when they walked in.  This might be physically, mentally, emotionally or holistically better. I lean toward the gentler side of yoga, that sometimes less is more. I encourage students to always take care of themselves and listen to their own internal guidance.

The first time I practice yoga was in 2007 in a gym in Shanghai. But back then it was not attractive to me. Therefore yoga practice did not become my regular routine. In 2016, I started my regular hot yoga practice after I moved to my new home in Vancouver Washington. In June 2018, I was honored to receive my first 200 RYT in Hot 26 and 2019 I received my second 200 RYT in hot Vinyasa. This was a life changing event I cherish forever. I believe through my training and experience I have gained more insight into yoga and proper alignment. Also in 2019, I went back to Shanghai and stayed 2 months to practice more yoga which made me realize the way they teach yoga in Asia are very different compare to US. I am happy to bring my knowledge back to the United States and help my students to explore different yoga postures. 

If you have taken my class before, you may notice some difference in the execution of the postures.  There are always postures you haven't tried before. Even the same postures you have done so many times , you will feel it is harder and more challenging in my class. But you are also building your strengthen very quickly. You will see your improvement in your own practice every day. 

My teaching style is more focused on alignment and proper muscle group engagement. Then bringing all those together to a whole mind body connection. I am extremely excited and encouraged by the therapeutic benefits of yoga. The benefits of yoga on the knee's, back , joint, and shoulder pain are measurable. I personally suffered from excruciating shoulder pain that lasted for years. That's why you probably noticed in my class, I focus on our shoulders a lot. 

It gives me great joy to be in front of my students watching them strive and grow. I appreciate the diversity of students all with very different capabilities and needs. This ensures a rewarding and stimulating class environment. 

I'm looking forward to seeing the continued growth of our yoga community. The first time I practice yoga was in 2007 in a gym in Shanghai. But back then it was not attractive to me. Therefore yoga practice did not become my regular routine. In 2016, I started my regular hot yoga practice after I moved to my new home in Vancouver Washington. In June 2018, I was honored to receive my first 200 RYT in Hot 26 and 2019 I received my second 200 RYT in hot Vinyasa. This was a life changing event I cherish forever. I believe through my training and experience I have gained more insight into yoga and proper alignment. Also in 2019, I went back to Shanghai and stayed 2 months to practice more yoga which made me realize the way they teach yoga in Asia are very different compare to US. I am happy to bring my knowledge back to the United States and help my students to explore different yoga postures. 

If you have taken my class before, you may notice some difference in the execution of the postures.  There are always postures you haven't tried before. Even the same postures you have done so many times , you will feel it is harder and more challenging in my class. But you are also building your strengthen very quickly. You will see your improvement in your own practice every day. 

My teaching style is more focused on alignment and proper muscle group engagement. Then bringing all those together to a whole mind body connection. I am extremely excited and encouraged by the therapeutic benefits of yoga. The benefits of yoga on the knee's, back , joint, and shoulder pain are measurable. I personally suffered from excruciating shoulder pain that lasted for years. That's why you probably noticed in my class, I focus on our shoulders a lot. 

It gives me great joy to be in front of my students watching them strive and grow. I appreciate the diversity of students all with very different capabilities and needs. This ensures a rewarding and stimulating class environment. 

I'm looking forward to seeing the continued growth of our yoga community. 

I was first introduced to yoga around ten years ago, most likely through a girlfriend at the time, however I did not continue my yoga practice on a regular basis. More recently, I started practicing yoga approx. once a week, however I never viewed yoga as my primary form of exercise and considered it more of a side dish. 

From approx. March 2020 thru July 2020 I was unable to practice yoga due to coronavirus until I found Sol Yoga. After my first practice with Lucy I can not recall a time my body felt so good and so sore the following day. Initially, I started coming to Sol Yoga more frequently in order to try and offset my power lifting routine, although soon I truly felt the majority of my strength gains were coming from my yoga practice. Currently, I'm in the studio approx. 4 times a week for the past three months and still after every practice my body is so sore but in such a great way.

Like most yogis, I always enjoy practicing what I consider myself good at, but very much appreciate the class dynamic at Sol Yoga. I feel most confident doing/demonstrating back and shoulder flexibility, as well as some inversion techniques. I'm excited to continue my yoga practice and to continue my path toward total body strength and flexibility, hopefully one day mastering the grueling toe squat!

I first started my yoga journey because I wanted to try to calm my mind and my body and I thought that yoga would be a great place to start. Once I started I fell in love with yoga and kept practicing from there. I have noticed a huge difference in how calm I have become. One of my favorite things about yoga is how my practice on the mat translates into my every day Life off the mat. Yoga has taught me to process information about my body and to respond without judgement instead of reacting. Yoga has also taught me to always breath no matter what! I try to practice 5 times a week or as much as my schedule allows. My favorite yoga class is Vinyasa, but my appreciation for Yin yoga has really grown as I learn to breath more. I am very grateful for this studio and hope to see everyone in class!

The first time I practiced yoga was a Jivamukti class in 2003 in the Denver area. I loved the combination of music (like, the Beatles and Led Zeppelin!) with the practice of asana and meditation with chanting. I practiced many types of yoga for about seven years and then life caught up and I eventually stopped going. After a major life event and more anxiety and stress than I could handle, I decided to start practicing regularly again in April of 2019. I gained a significant amount of weight with all of the stress, chronic health issues, age, and life at that time and needed to work hard to get myself back to a place I felt comfortable with. In the beginning, I practiced sometimes seven days a week while walking four miles a day for cardio exercise and grounding. Since my journey back started, I have lost 42 pounds and have a stronger practice than I ever had before. It is one that is more "inward" focused. Yoga has always settled my nervous system in a way that nothing else could. I needed it in my life more than I ever knew. Now I understand how important it is for me and my physical and mental health. Since I began practicing regularly again last year, I have managed to keep doing yoga 4-5 days a week (even in the pandemic) and have found strength I never thought I could feel again. Mentally and physically! My relationship with my mind and body have grown significantly. 

Being able to practice in community (safely from six feet away from my peers and teachers!) brings a level of intimacy with my practice that I can't explain. There is nothing like community support from peers and teachers! I love to practice Vinyasa classes with a few not-so-common poses in there to challenge me each time. My favorite relaxing pose is Baddha Konasana (Cobbler's Pose) and my favorite hard poses usually come from any balance pose to remind me that I will always have a new challenge each time I practice. Nothing stays the same. I am grateful to practice in community again with like-minded individuals and plan to see you in class!