"If you are breathing the opportunity to heal is yours!"

Yoga has been a life long pursuit that, for me, started sometime around the age 7. My mother told me I was always draping myself over the furniture, putting my feet on top of my head, and twisting myself into "odd" shapes. I found out many years later in a yoga class that what I had been doing with my body in my childhood had names like scorpion pose, plow pose, and Sanskrit names such as Pinca mayurasana and Halasana. My fascination and curiosity with the human body was piqued during 8th grade Biology, and has continued into adulthood.

I credit 23 years as a Registered nurse working in pediatrics and within the maternal/infant health arena AND yoga study that has given me insight in the body's dynamic ability to heal. The practice of the yoga asasanas and pranayama enhances one's capacity to observe. These observation skills were already an active part of my work. Since newborns and infants don't use words to communicate my career as an R.N. developed my ability to see what was happening on every level. I used my eyes, my ears, my hands, my sense of smell, as well as my intuition. Newborns communicate in a myriad of ways. My work was to attend to the nonverbal cues and signals of these babies as a primary means of monitoring their health status.

The yoga practice also was helpful during the months of rehabilitating a fractured elbow (olecranon process). I sat on the floor and practiced what I had learned about flexion, extension and joint support in yoga class. During the first 3 weeks after the surgery, I would wince with discomfort when practicing simple range of motion exercises with the affected arm. I watched how my whole body would respond to such a simple movement. I learned the importance of deep relaxed breathing. Over time, with daily practice, this breathing allowed me to work within the healing process in a more efficient manner. A combined program of yoga and swimming helped me to regain strength and full range of motion in that arm.

My professional experience as a registered nurse and personal practice and study of yoga has affirmed to me the body's innate capacity and wisdom to move towards wholeness. It is my work as a yoga teacher to reflect this to the student.

I think its interesting when anyone says, "I do yoga" (myself included). Perhaps it would be more correct to say, "I am yoga". Yoga comes from the Sanskrit term, 'yuj' which translates, to bind or yoke. So this begs the question, to bind or yoke what? The body, mind, soul. Two of the three are obvious. No one can question the existence of your body or your breath (mind is loosely translated from a Chinese word Shen, spirit/heart). What part of you makes up your soul? ahh! This is something for you to ponder.

Who was my primary teacher?
My first class in the Eastbay was with Richard Rosen. I took a 4 week Introduction Class at the Yoga Room. I tried several teachers at the yoga room. I knew after my first class with Rodney Yee that I had found a teacher who resonated with something within me. I studied for over a decade with Rodney. and have accumulated over 3,500 hours of study and practice.

What other teachers have influenced your practice and teaching?
There are several other yoga teachers who I have studied with over the years that have most effectively influenced my personal practice as well as teaching practice. These are Judith Lasater, Angela Farmer and Victor VanKooten, Mary Paffard and Gurumukh Kaur Khalsa. It is also fair to say that Mr Iyengar has been an indirect influence on me, through the aforementioned teachers. I have used Mr Iyengars books as a constant resource. I have also viewed many of his videos, recorded while he conducted his public classes.

Expressions of Gratitude for Cynthea's classes

"Pre-natal yoga was a way for me to connect. To connect with myself, to connect with my ever changing body and to connect with other moms to be. Her expertise and knowledge in the female body gave me reassurance that the asanas would be beneficial during labor. And they were! The breathing and general alignment principles I learned in class helped my labour go smoothly and with minimal pain. I highly recommend Cynthea's pre-natal yoga for any mom-to-be!" - Monica Walsh

I really want to thank you for your work! I felt really empowered by your classes! Little bits of wisdom you said during yoga classes stick with me and contnue to empower me as a new mom. I delivered Julia at home - the yoga poses and breathing really helped me! Thanks for your work- I look foward to our next class! Namaste- Christine P.

Thank you so much for your wonderful classes throughout my pregnancy, I certainly used some of the sounding techniques through labor. - Christen S.

When I think back to my prenatal yoga classes with you, it is always with Gratitude. You prepared me better than any doctor could. I dare say you were more informative than my midwife. Prenatal yoga with Cynthea relieved my anxiety over the birthing process. I remembered, "My body knows how to do this." (my mantra from you, used during labor) Yoga Breathing Techniques that helped me have a calm birth. Grateful. - Loni B.