I fell in love with yoga at first breath in 1995 and have been wearing the teacher’s hat since 2007, when I received my 230 hour certification from the Asheville Yoga Center. Currently, I am thrilled to be working on my 500 hour Yoga Therapy certification with Kaoveri Weber’s Subtle Yoga program. I don’t follow a specific lineage in the yoga tradition, but have been inspired by many of the amazing teachers and wide variety of yogic flavors whose practices focus on love and awareness. My personal belief is that oftentimes, the best teacher is the one inside yourself, and my duty at the front of the class is to help you cultivate that internal wisdom. My approach towards yoga is simple; when people begin to move their bodies and become consciously aware of their breath, amazing benefits begin to surface. This manifests not only in the physical body but also in the more abstract mental and esoteric realms. I offer my students a relaxed but challenging environment to go internal and address unattended stress, to aid in peeling back the layers that separate us from our connection with the much bigger picture. As a scientist by trade, I have always had a fascination with the intrinsic natural laws of the universe, and know that yoga is an incredible tool to uncover, discover, and cultivate the amazing universe within. My personal interests are focused on the more subtle aspects of yoga, and I offer this practice to my students through meditation, breath awareness, and flow styled movement. In addition, I have always had a strong resonance with the beautifully simplistic philosophy of Taoism, and this surfaces in my classes. My quirky nature and light-hearted spirit provide a loving environment for students to explore their own experience, using the tools of yoga as a method to understand the true self within.
Ryan’s Class
Taoist Flow, Cultivating the Internal Universe on Mondays from 4:00-5:15pm
This class is an incorporation of gentle Taoist exercises to open up the energetic gates weaved in with a traditional Vinyasa practice to keep the energy flowing. The focus will be geared towards an internal practice with an appreciable level of physical exertion. Modifications for all levels will be included, but a basic knowledge of sun salutations is recommended, but not necessary. The intention of this class is to subtly aid the student in becoming aware of their own true self, which mirrors the cosmic picture and gives a space to feel deeply connected and always at home, without even leaving the mat.