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After hearing constant praise about the hot yoga experience from my mom, Colleen Stroup, I attended my first Bikram yoga class with her sometime in the year 2000. During that first class, I wanted to flee the hot, sweaty room for some fresh air and just couldn’t believe that I was being asked to do such silly, yet challenging funny, little postures. What kept me going during that first class was my Mom. If she can do this stuff, so can I! Soon after my first class, I found myself back in the hot room for more yoga. In a matter of months, I was a Bikram Yoga addict! In the summer of 2001, I moved to San Francisco and quickly found my new home studio at Global Yoga with owner Mary Jarvis. Mary’s incredible and unique teaching style inspired me to make my yoga practice a daily requirement. After two years as a student with Mary, I headed to Los Angeles for the Spring, 2003 teacher training. Going to the source, Bikram himself, to learn more about the yoga I loved was an amazing opportunity of a lifetime. After the intense training, I returned to Mary to continue my learning as a Bikram yoga student and teacher. |
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During the past six years, I have taken my yoga practice to an advanced level. I participated in regional, national and international yoga championships. In 2003 I represented Northern California in the very first Bishnu Gosh International Yoga Asana Championship and won sixth place. In 2008, I won first place in the Texas State Championships and went on to compete in Los Angeles on the National level. I am very grateful and blessed to have been an active participant in the yoga championships. The experience has led to much travel, meeting others in the international Bikram community, and, most importantly, has taken my personal yoga practice to a deeper level physically, emotionally and spiritually.
I have been living in Austin, Texas for three years, and I'm extremely happy to be teaching at Yogagroove. The positive atmosphere at the studio, the staff and students are wonderful! I look forward to a lifetime filled with yoga. I truly believe, with yoga, you can never become bored, because there is always something new to learn!
